Auckland fog sees flights cancelled, delayed

Photo / NZ Herald

Air travellers face significant delays due to thick fog halting domestic flights at Auckland airport today.

Twenty-two flights were cancelled and 17 delayed.

An airport spokeswoman said there was still thick fog at 11.30am, which was affecting flights to and from provincial towns.

Main flight routes were now operating but there were still delays due to the backlog.

One international flight, a Fiji Airways flight to Suva, was also delayed, by about 3-1/2 hours.

Air New Zealand said the disruptions were to its turbo-propelled aircraft, which were unable to resume until weather conditions improved.

JetStar services were operating but the fog had also caused them to be delayed.

Customers booked to travel to or from Auckland were advised to keep an eye on the arrivals and departures information on the airline's website, www.airnewzealand.co.nz.

A Jetstar spokesman said the airline had not cancelled any flights but there had been some minor delays this morning.

"We're pretty much back on track now," he said.

New Zealand Herald reporter Amelia Wade, who was travelling to Wellington, said her flight had been cancelled.

"The whole domestic departures board is filled with cancelled or delayed flights," she said.

"When we were sitting in the departures gate and it went over the voice speaker system there were big groans from everyone and then a big rush down to the ticketing booth to try and get flights sorted."

She would not be able to depart until at least 5pm.