Fog delays flights in Wellington

Dense fog today stopped all flights landing at Wellington Airport.

The airport was open this morning but there were no available planes to take off and airlines were not checking in passengers, Wellington Airport Company duty manager Ian Pocock said.

Air New Zealand, Qantas and Origin Pacific airlines closed check-in desks about 6.30am and Qantas was advising passengers to re-book flights for tomorrow if their travel was not urgent.

Mr Pocock said the fog was "thick as pea soup" at 8.15am.

Two flights had been diverted and none would land until the fog lifted, he said.


There was no indication when the fog would lift, he said.


"The forecast was for it to be blown away, but it's got thicker. The southerly wind was supposed get up but nothing happened."


Mr Pocock said eight domestic flights took off this morning but none for overseas because none could land last night.


"Everything that we had here took off. We've run out of aircraft and there are none coming in till the fog lifts."- NZPA