Auckland Airport is expecting peak passenger traffic from December 19. Photo / Supplied
Auckland Airport is expecting peak passenger traffic from December 19. Photo / Supplied
Auckland Airport is advising passengers on how to avoid possible disruption as it reveals the 10 busiest days during its summer peak.
It says traveller numbers hit their highest at the international terminal in the two and a half weeks from December 19 to January 6.
The warning comes after chaos at the airport yesterday when a global passport processing problem led to long queues and delays as passengers had to be checked in manually.
The company's general manager of operations, Anna Cassels-Brown, said those who are not regular users of the airport need to be aware of changes to roads in the area.
The holiday peak comes at the end of a busy year which has seen several of Auckland Airport's major infrastructure projects get underway, including an upgrade of the Airport's inner core roading network, which will add in priority lanes, and the expansion of the airfield by 18 per cent to develop a new taxiway and remote stands.
Work on George Bolt Memorial Drive has been underway for several months with the road narrowed at some points, so frequent visitors to the airport will be familiar with the new road layout.
Some carparks have also changed, including the closure of Car Park S at the domestic terminal. An alternative is the expanded area in Car Park K.
Auckland Airport is warning passengers to prepare for possible disruption as it enters its summer peak.
''But if you're flying out of Auckland Airport for the first time in a while, take some time to re-check your journey to ensure you have a stress-free start to your holiday,'' she said.
The projects are part of a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure development programme to take place over the next decade that will transform Auckland Airport into an ''airport of the future.''
By 2044 numbers through Auckland Airport are forecast to double to an estimated 40 million travellers each year. Construction activity at the airport will pause for several weeks over the Christmas break.
Road works on George Bolt Drive are causing traffic snarls at times. Photo / Grant Bradley
Cassels-Brown said an updated Auckland Airport app provides real time travel information for passengers to take you from home to the departure gate of any flight, with a personalised itinerary.
The airport has a stayintheknow.co.nz website for updates and has the following advice to help smooth the journey:
• Check in online or use the kiosks at the Park & Ride or Novotel Hotel
• Have your boarding pass ready to go through the new eGates at the entrance to the Customs and Aviation Security areas
• To prepare for security get all loose items, such as keys, headphones, and wallets, into hand luggage, big electronic items out onto the tray and make sure sharp items or liquids over 100ml are in your checked luggage.
• Take an empty water bottle and use the water fountains once through security
Latest figures for the 12 months to September show international passenger movements were up 1.7 per cent to 10.3 million people and domestic passengers up 2.3 per cent to 9.3 million.
Last December more than 1 million passengers passed through the international terminal.
