Fog causes delays, cancelled flights in Dunedin
THICK fog rolled back over the Taieri Plain last evening, causing further problems at Dunedin Airport after a day of disruption for passengers.
The blanket forced the cancellation of flights to and from the airport, leaving some passengers stranded.
Last night, the airport advised of more cancellations because of the weather.
Six incoming and four departing evening flights were cancelled, as was this morning’s Air New Zealand NZ5740 flight to Christchurch, originally scheduled to leave at 6.35am.
Air New Zealand NZ680 to Wellington, supposed to leave at 6.25am today, has been tentatively rescheduled to take off at 11.05am.
Earlier yesterday, three inbound flights and three outbound flights were disrupted by the fog, including an Air New Zealand flight due to land at 10.25am, which circled Dunedin Airport for about 40 minutes before returning to Wellington when there was no break in the fog.
Flights between Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin and a flight from Christchurch were cancelled and there were significant delays for other services.
Flights were able to land and take off from about 2pm until the fog reformed later in the afternoon.
A Virgin Australia flight to Brisbane scheduled to leave at 7.45am left Dunedin at 3.54pm.
A cancelled flight to Auckland was rescheduled for today, leaving passengers to find accommodation in Dunedin overnight.
Waiting for a ride back into Dunedin, Lauren Barbour (18) said she was unhappy after being told she would not be able to fly home to Auckland.
‘‘I thought my flight was just delayed this morning but then they said it was cancelled.
‘‘I’ve got a new flight for tomorrow at the same time but I’ve had to tell work I can’t make it as well as trying to find somewhere to stay tonight.’’
Sydney man Richard Bott was more blase about the delay, filling in the time waiting for another flight by scrolling through Facebook.
He did not know when he was going to catch his flight, but was confident it would be before his university graduation in Auckland on Thursday.
An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said affected customers were put on alternative services.
As well as fog on the Taieri Plain, much of Otago woke to frosts yesterday, including Dunedin Airport, which recorded 4degC at 5am, Dunedin city 3degC at 6am and Queenstown which hit 2degC at 6am, according to MetService.
According to Niwa, the temperature in Ranfurly dropped to 5.2degC.