Cancellations and delays continue at Wellington Airport as fog lingers

Passengers are stranded at Wellington Airport as dense fog has cancelled the majority of flights in and out of the city as a long weekend approaches and the school holidays end.

Wellington Airport spokesperson Phil Rennie said shortly after 12pm that while it had been predicted to clear by midday, the fog continued to linger around the airport. That meant most morning flights in and out had been delayed or cancelled on Tuesday.

The weather was already looking better though, and he was hopeful flights that had been delayed from flying out in the morning would be able to depart in the afternoon.

He advised passengers to check with their airlines directly the status of their flights.

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Tuesday’s heavy fog meant most planes arriving at the airport could not land. However, some departing flights would be able to leave.

A Jetstar spokesperson confirmed the Jetstar Christchurch to Wellington flight had been delayed because of fog, and the Auckland to Wellington flight had been cancelled.

MetService meteorologist John Law said the north-easterly winds needed to lift the fog into cloud were still relatively light, and may not come in until the early evening.

The issue was that winds were coming from the south, and pushing the sea fog in over the airport.

There had been brief improvements in the fog over the past hour, and there would hopefully be an improvement in visibility this afternoon.

MetService meteorologist April Clark said sea fog was caused by warm air, associated with the flooding around Auckland, coming over the cooler air of Cook Strait, she said.

At 9.30am, Cook Eddie Iwanica said his 8.50am Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to Nelson was cancelled due to the fog.

This was stressful, as Iwanica was due to start a three-day course in Nelson at midday, which he had to complete every five years.

He said he was worried he would miss his course, but was hopeful he would be put on a later flight when the fog lifted.

On the Wellington Airport website, flights that were due to arrive about 8am from Nelson, Auckland, Christchurch, and Hamilton had been cancelled, and others had been delayed to arrive about two hours after their initial planned time.

A flight from Timaru managed to touch down shortly before 9am.

It comes as Interislander Cook Strait ferries are affected by one ship, Kaitaki, being out of service due to breakdown, as the school summer holidays end, and ahead of the Waitangi long weekend.

Air New Zealand currently has no available tickets for Christchurch-to-Wellington flights until Friday though does have some tickets from Wellington to Christchurch in coming days, including Tuesday. There appears to be flights between Wellington and Auckland.

Air New Zealand has been approached for comment.