Travelers departing during their school holidays have been warned to prepare for disruptions if a combination of staffing and weather problems hit airlines.
Air New Zealand advises passengers about “potential disruptions and flight changes”, such as illness and incoming weather during peak hours.
Air NZ boss Greg Foran was quick to tell passengers there could be disruption to holiday plans.
“Like other companies in New Zealand, we are dealing with more than normal employee sickness. This coupled with tumultuous weather is likely to cause some disruptions to the network in the coming days,” Foran said.
The airline expects 672,000 passengers in the next two weeks.
Travelers flying with Air New Zealand are advised to check their ‘Travel Alerts’ and airport schedules before boarding their flights.
Earlier this week, Auckland Airport warned travelers it expected three of its busiest travel dates during the July holiday season, peaking today.
Auckland International’s GM of Operations Anna Cassels-Brown asked passengers for patience and said there could be some delays.
“We know this means queues can build up, but we expect them to move fairly quickly, so please be patient and allow some extra time for your journey,” she said.
Cassels-Brown told passengers traveling with children to plan parking, arrive in plenty of time and bring snacks as the airport continues to be disrupted by catering services and construction work.
The return of several international connections to Tahiti, New Caledonia and several Australian airports makes the July winter break the busiest period in more than three years.
As of this weekend, Auckland will be served by 33 routes and 18 international airlines.