Baggage handling fault at Auckland International Airport fixed, but delays still in place

Long queues at Auckland International Airport bag check-in area due to a fault with the processing system. Photo / Twitter - Soham Patel

A fault with the bag drop system at Auckland Airport which affected 15 flights has been fixed, but travellers are still facing delays.

An airport spokeswoman said the technical fault impacting the baggage handling system at the international terminal at Auckland Airport has now been resolved.

"Check-in and security screening is currently busier than normal and our team and Aviation Security are working hard to minimise delays for travellers," she said.

"It is a busy day at the airport and we thank travellers for their patience. If you're travelling today, please contact your airline for further information. Currently, one flight is experiencing delays," - with 15 flights that had been impacted.

Irate passengers reported long queues at check-in this morning due to the fault, which has been causing issues since before 8am.

The airport earlier said check-in was currently busier than normal due to a "technical fault in the baggage handling system" and some flights had been delayed.

"It is a busy day at the airport and we thank travellers for their patience while we work hard to resolve the issue."

The issue is affecting all airlines.

One frustrated passenger in the Premium lounge, who asked only to be known as Vicki, said she had been stuck in the queue for more than an hour.

Her flight to Brisbane had been held back as passengers' baggage has not been checked in.

During the hour she had stood in the queue the luggage belt had stopped and started intermittently.

@AKL_Airport hey Auckland airport why can’t open up all the check in counters? Absolutely ridiculous that thousands of people are stuck waiting while you guys can’t be bothered to open up counters. pic.twitter.com/Y2Mp1efDuI

— Soham Patel (@sohampatel1989) December 22, 2019

"It's very frustrating. Lots of people's flights are meant to be leaving but the system's totally overloaded. We were told it's been jammed upstairs and they've had to manually unload."

Vicki was taking an Air New Zealand flight to Brisbane but she had been told by a staff member the entire airport's bag drop system had shut down.

However flights to Melbourne and Rarotonga had been called and the 100-person queue was now down to about 70 people.