Flights resume at Wellington Airport, fog clears

Many flights have been cancelled or delayed due to heavy fog at Wellington Airport. Photo / Supplied

Fog has mostly cleared and Wellington Airport is back to normal operations after flights were cancelled earlier.

The airport has however warned there will be delays as the backlog of flights is cleared and has advised passengers to contact their airline for more specific information.

Among the cancelled flights earlier today were services from Blenheim, Auckland, Westport, Napier, Tauranga, Picton, Nelson, and Taupo, according to the airport website.

Other flights were showing as having long delays.

“Some flights can depart but most arrivals are not expected until later this morning when the fog is due to lift,” the airport said earlier in a statement.

Metservice said there was a chance of fog clearing as the wind shifted to the north later in the morning but the wind has remained a light southerly into the afternoon - keeping the fog in place.

MetService meteorologist April Clark said warm air was coming from the north and, as it hit cooler water over the Cook Strait, forming fog that is being pushed on to the airport by a light southerly.

An NZME staffer was due to fly from Auckland to Wellington at 9am and went to the airport as his flight was showing as on time - until he checked the Air New Zealand app again at 8.30am.

“When I double-checked the app it said it was cancelled - so that wasn’t terribly helpful.“

Wellington Airport is asking passengers to check for flight delays with their airlines or on its website.