A big upgrade of Auckland International Airport's entranceway on George Bolt Memorial Drive has started and 9m high mounds of earth will soon be developed to create a dramatic gateway.

Air New Zealand has announced it will be getting rid of standby fares and says the move is driven by customer demand.

Joan Cleary, a former photographer has just arrived from the UK for a wedding.

An Air NZ pilot who fell into a deep sleep twice while at the controls of a passenger flight says he was fatigued because he couldn't rest properly in London hotels.

Their bags - and they're not travelling light - are festooned with maple leaves, a subtle clue this young couple hails from everyone's second-favourite country.

Kiwi travellers are being ripped off by three of the country's major airports due to inflated landing fees charged to airlines, a consumer watchdog says.

Airlines say travellers would enjoy cheaper air fares if Wellington International Airport lowered its landing fees.

Auckland Airport's ageing domestic terminal is undergoing a $30 million overhaul to cope with a surge in passengers and to buy time before a decision on where a new terminal will be built.

Auckland's air traffic controllers need a keen eye and the ability to stay calm and collected in all situations.

London's Stansted airport is in an "interesting" market - but Kiwi firm Morrison & Co says it's too soon to say whether it'll bid for the business.