Near two hour wait for shuttle at Dunedin Airport

Dunedin Airport. Photo / Phillip Capper

The adequacy of links between Dunedin Airport and the city have been questioned after a Dunedin resident had to wait nearly two hours at the airport for a shuttle to the city.

Tongsiew Lim said she arrived at the airport about midnight on a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane last month, and found there were no airport shuttles to take her into the city.

''We had thought that being an international airport, there would be available shuttle taxis and so we foolishly did not go online and book a ride.

''That was our mistake.

''Several families were left stranded, including me.

''Those who could afford to call a taxi did, but the three families who couldn't afford taxis had to wait for a shuttle to be called in.''

A shuttle finally arrived at 1.40am, she said.

''There were first-time Dunedin visitors on that flight caught in this predicament and I was embarrassed on behalf of Dunedin and apologised to them for this lack of an essential facility.''

Dunedin Airport business development general manager Megan Crawford said it was an unfortunate ''one-off'' incident, and apologised to Lim for the inconvenience.

She said airport staff met transport operators yesterday to make sure customers on late night flights did not face the situation again.

''We've worked with the shuttle [operators] to make sure it doesn't happen again, but it was just one of those things that happened.''

She believed the airport's transport links to the city were more than adequate.

''Dunedin Airport has links to and from the city through various shuttle and taxi operators, private bus operators and provides services for passengers to be picked up and dropped off privately.

''We have in the past been approached by private companies regarding bus services to and from the airport, but the service was not deemed viable by these operators.

''Regarding any other services such as rail or bus, Dunedin Airport would be happy to discuss this with anyone who wished to consider operating such a service.''