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AKL Airport Terminal AIAL11 Gate 18Auckland Airport is struggling to process passengers after enormous downpours in New Zealand’s upper North Island flooded cities and towns, closed the airport, smashed houses, cut roads, stranded travellers and killed several people.

The extreme rainfall is unprecedented and is thought to be linked to climate change. As an “atmospheric river” flowed over Auckland, about a month’s worth of rain fell in an hour. New Zealand’s largest city of 1.6 million people  remains under a state of emergency declared yesterday (Monday).

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) issued the following advisory to Aussie travellers yesterday via its Smartraveller website:

New Zealand:

A state of emergency remains in place for the Auckland region due to severe flooding. Periods of heavy rain are forecast in the days ahead. Check the Auckland Emergency Management website for up-to-date information and follow the advice of local authorities. Auckland Airport has experienced disruption leading to flight delays and cancellations. Contact your airline or tour operator for the latest flight information and the New Zealand Transport Agency for road traffic updates.

DFAT continues to advise: Exercise of standard safety precautions in New Zealand.

Read the entire travel advice.

Auckland Airport, closed by floods at the weekend, was battling yesterday to process a “huge backlog” of flights. It asked travellers to wait for flight confirmation before coming to its  international terminal.

The airport said:

  • As the Auckland Airport community works around the clock to get people home, only travellers with an international flight booked and scheduled are asked to come to the international terminal.
  • Travellers are much better to get in touch with airlines or their travel agency via phone or online to reschedule flights rather than seeking to rebook in person at the international terminal. Airline representation outside confirmed check-in times can be minimal.
  • Meeters and Farewellers: If you are picking up family and friends, we would appreciate you making use of our Wait Zones and pick-up/drop-off area for farewells rather than coming inside the terminal.
  • Auckland Airport’s volunteer army continues to pull out all the stops to get travellers home.

Auckland Airport is asking that only international travellers who are scheduled to fly that day to come to the terminal.

As of yesterday, four people were reported to have died in Auckland’s catastrophic floods.

Landslides, flooding, bridge washouts and cracked roads have closed several state highways in the upper North Island. Authorities are urging people to travel only when absolutely necessary.

Forecasts yesterday indicated Auckland would be soaked by further major rainfall till the middle of the week.

All schools have been closed for a week to help reduce road traffic.

With airline schedules disrupted after a 37-hour international travel closure, Auckland Airport is experiencing high volumes of people inside its international terminal as travellers seek to re-book cancelled flights.

“We know travellers caught up in the consequences of this natural disaster with disrupted international flights are weary and very keen to get where they need to be,” said Carrie Hurihanganui, Auckland Airport chief executive.

“We appreciate it’s taking time for some people to reschedule their flights, and the frustration and distress delays to travel can cause. Our goal remains to get people home as soon as possible, but the reality is there is huge backlog of flights to get through following the impact of severe flooding. It’s really busy at the terminal and it’s going to take time for normal international flight operations to fully get back up to speed.

“If possible, it would be really helpful if travellers could wait until they have their flight booked and scheduled for travel that day before coming to the international terminal, and for meeters and farewellers to use our wait zone or pickup/drop off area for farewells.

“These steps will reduce congestion in the terminal and help us focus on the job of getting people home as soon as possible.”

On Sunday, more than 20,000 travellers started their journeys home aboard 41 international flight departures and 39 international flight arrivals. Yesterday (Monday, 30 January), about 25,000 international travellers were expected to arrive or depart Auckland Airport on 61 inbound and 61 outbound flights.

A volunteer army of more than 100 Auckland Airport staff continued to support travellers and stranded passengers.

Auckland Airport’s critical advice for travellers

  • Only travellers with booked and scheduled international flights should come to the international terminal.
  • Travellers can best contact their airline or check airline apps or websites to reschedule flights.
  • Normal flight operations may be disrupted for several days as operations gradually return to normal. The terminal is busy so please allow extra time for check-in.
  • Air New Zealand advises customers to check the arrival and departure page on their website or their Air NZ app for updated departure times.

 

 

 

Written by Peter Needham

 

 

 

 

 

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