The holiday squeeze is about to start at Auckland Airport's international terminal and passengers will have to negotiate work on key roads leading there.
The airport is giving advice to travellers ahead of the busiest day for travel through the terminal, tomorrow.
Although the company wasn't able to provide figures for this summer, in 2017-18 it expected an average of 37,500 international passengers a day during its 10 peak days.
Throughout its international and domestic network more than 60,000 passengers will be taking flights. That has prompted a warning that it won't tolerate unruly behaviour by passengers and a plea for them to show each other and crew respect over the busy summer season.
Auckland Airport
The airport says its roading crews have been working late into the night to accelerate work on key roads leading to carparks and terminals.
It has the following advice for motorists: • Updated information on major roadworks plans are available on the "Stay in the Know" website: stayintheknow.co.nz.
• When you're driving near roadworks, be sure to follow instructions on signage and keep an eye out for workers.
• Book your parking online in advance to be sure you get a spot.
• Allow a little extra time for your journey during busy spells and use the Auckland Airport app for a personalised home-to-gate itinerary for the day of travel.
• Make pick-ups easier by using the Wait Zone to park free of charge until your travellers are ready and waiting.
The company is now nearly six months into work on the Northern Network project, with work unde rway at five separate sites.
With 10 per cent of the development complete the first stage is scheduled to be finished in late 2020, and the second stage (covering the intersection of George Bolt Memorial Drive and Tom Pearce Drive) in mid-2021.
The project has already resulted in 26,000sq m of topsoil removed and 832m of 3.3km of stormwater pipes up to a metre in diameter have been laid.
By mid-2021 the airport roading network will have new high-occupancy vehicle lanes providing support for improved public transport links, a new one-way loop road connecting the international terminal, and roading capacity created through the addition of Altitude Drive at the north of the precinct as part of the Northern Network project.
Work on roads is carrying on through the night. Photo / Supplied
"Northern Network is a key project for Auckland Airport in that it is providing the roading infrastructure backbone for a multi-billion investment programme to transform Auckland Airport over the next two decades," said André Lovatt, manager of development and delivery.
Work on the airport precinct roads integrates with a planned investment alongside Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Auckland Transport in SH20B, which begins adding priority lanes for a frequent bus service from Puhinui Station, cycle and walking paths, and safety improvements in 2020.
November was 2019's busiest month for traffic around the airport during the year. For December, the days leading up to Christmas are expected to be the busiest of the month.
Families flying overseas from Auckland Airport can now use a dedicated lane at pre-flight security screening.
Developed in collaboration with the Aviation Security Service, the family lane at the international terminal is an option giving parents extra time to prepare themselves and their children for security screening.
Anna Cassels-Brown, Auckland Airport operations general manager. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Anna Cassels-Brown, Auckland Airport's general manager of operations, said the family lane allows parents to take their time preparing themselves and their kids for security screening without feeling like they're holding up other passengers.
It will operate between 7am to 8.30am and 12.30pm to 2pm until January 13.
In September, a prepared passenger lane was introduced at the domestic terminal to give people who have emptied their pockets, taken electronic devices out of their hand luggage and are ready for inspection a faster path through security screening.
The new lane has been introduced permanently after a successful trial period, and runs between 6am and 7am during the week.
The airport is the midst of multi-billion-dollar rebuild that will include a new international arrivals building, a new domestic jet terminal and there are plans for a second runway north of the existing one.
