AUCKLAND- The national carrier, Air New Zealand (NZ) experienced significant flight disruptions on December 8, 2024, as severe weather conditions impacted operations across the South and North Islands.
Six scheduled flights were forced to return to Auckland (AKL) due to extremely high winds in Wellington (WLG), Christchurch (CHC), and Queenstown (ZQN).
Air New Zealand Auckland Flights
This is a big disruption as Auckland-Wellington, Auckland-Christchurch, and Auckland-Queenstown are some of the busiest routes in the country. Also, all these four cities mentioned are the top busiest airports in the country.
MetService issued multiple weather watches and warnings, highlighting the intensity of the meteorological event. The severe northwest gales and heavy rainfall created challenging aviation conditions that directly impacted air travel safety and scheduling.
The specific flights affected as reported by 1news included NZ439, NZ481, NZ551, NZ623, NZ547, and NZ635, all of which were compelled to return to their originating point in Auckland. Many additional flights departing from Wellington were completely canceled due to the high wind conditions.
Air New Zealand proactively managed the disruption by implementing comprehensive passenger support measures. The airline committed to rebooking all affected customers on the next available service and offered multiple rebooking channels, including the Air New Zealand app and website.
In anticipation of the severe weather, the airline sent proactive messages to evening travelers from Wellington, providing advance notification of potential flight disruptions.
Customers were offered the flexibility to reschedule their flights to alternative dates at no additional cost, demonstrating the airline’s customer-centric approach during unexpected operational challenges.
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Orange Alert
MetService issued an orange strong wind warning for several regions across New Zealand, signaling potentially dangerous weather conditions expected to persist until December 9, morning. The warning encompasses Marlborough Sounds, Kaikōura ranges, Kaikōura coast, Wellington, Wairarapa south of Masterton, and Canterbury High Country.
Severe northwest gales are forecast to generate wind gusts reaching up to 130 kilometers per hour in exposed areas of Marlborough Sounds, Kaikōura ranges, Kaikōura coast, Wellington, and Wairarapa. The Canterbury High Country faces an even more extreme forecast, with potential localized damaging wind gusts escalating to 150 kilometers per hour in vulnerable locations.
In addition to the orange warning, a strong wind watch has been implemented for broader regions, including Wairarapa north of Masterton, Tararua District, Hawke’s Bay south of Hastings, Marlborough excluding the Sounds, Kaikōura ranges and coast, and Canterbury Plains and Banks Peninsula.
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Similar Diversions
On November 19, 2024, Flight NZ607 from Wellington to Queenstown was forced to return to its origin after encountering severe wind shear that compromised landing safety. Unpredictable wind conditions critically disrupted the standard 55-minute flight route.
FlightRadar24 tracking documented the aircraft’s complex navigation pattern, which included an initial approach from the east and an attempted landing along Lake Wakatipu before ultimately retreating to Wellington.
On September 26, 2024, another Air New Zealand flight, NZ272 from Brisbane to Wellington, experienced similarly dangerous wind conditions.
The Airbus A321-200N encountered severe wind shear during its approach to Wellington Airport, forcing pilots to execute a critical go-around maneuver. The aircraft briefly touched its main wheels on the runway before aborting the landing attempt.
All Photos by Harsh Tekriwal | Instagram
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