Chief customer officer Scott Tasker also admitted to fitting the description, which went viral on TikTok earlier this year.
“I’m the classic Airport Dad in my family, always making sure we’re out the door on time, I want us to be exactly three hours early before a flight (any earlier and check-in is typically not open) and I always carry the passports,” he said.
According to a comical video released by Auckland Airport today, they aren’t the only ones.
As airline travel increases for the holidays, Tasker said the team noticed “an increase in Airport Dad traits and behaviours” and took the opportunity to film a documentary-style video on the beloved characters.
The video jumps between two families who appear to be actors, showing typical Airport Dad traits and vox pop interviews with genuine travellers in the airport who resonate with the term.
“Airport Dad” gained popularity on social media platform TikTok earlier this year as people shared videos of their fathers on family holidays behaving in very similar and slightly neurotic ways.
The term then became a catchall to describe anyone (irrespective of gender or marital status) who takes control when travelling in a group.
“Once you’re aware of the term Airport Dad, it’s hard not to notice it,” Tasker said, adding that there’s always a leader of any travel party, whether you’re travelling with friends, family or a partner.
“We love seeing Airport Dads in our terminals – whether that’s mum or dad, or we even had an Airport Nan recently chatting to us about how they get their family all sorted,” he said.
While those in a travel group may find Airport Dads stressful or annoying, Tasker said staff loved spotting them around the airport, as they felt it was a sign travel was back to pre-pandemic normalcy.
“The team had a lot of fun making this, we always love the chance to stop and chat to travellers and many travellers loved taking part too, talking to us about their Airport Dad habits.”
