Fog forces Whangarei flight back to Auckland

Misty conditions forced an Air New Zealand plane flying into Whangarei to fly back to Auckland and another managed to land after a second attempt.

About 30 passengers were affected by the disruption at Whangarei Airport on Wednesday morning.

Airline spokesman Mark Street said the fog cleared before midday but two flights were disrupted. A return flight to Auckland was cancelled and 13 passengers were offered either road transportation or accommodated on later flights.

Mr Street said 17 passengers on the flight that flew back to Auckland after it could not land were put on later flights.

No other Air New Zealand flights in Northland or throughout the country were affected.

Passenger Gay Fraser said the pilot, herself and 16 other passengers could see Whangarei Airport from the air but not its runaway because of the fog.

She works at the New Zealand Health Practitioners' Disciplinary Tribunal and accompanied seven others from Auckland for a hearing in Whangarei. Their plane had gone back and they had had to conduct their hearing via telephone conference.

The disruption had been frustrating. "But we can't do anything about the weather," she said.