Home » AIRLINE NEWS » Travel Interrupted in New Zealand as Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin Airport Experiences Six Cancellations by Air New Zealand

Published on
November 1, 2025

The grounding of six services by Air New Zealand on 1st November, 2025, sparked travel interruption across the domestic New Zealand network. Four major transport hubs— Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin Airport—bore the brunt of the disruption. Data confirms the carrier experiences six cancellations, accounting for one per cent of its scheduled flights. Simultaneously, a total of 45 delays, further complicating the schedules of many travelers. Therefore, the ripple effect was felt widely. This report, grounded in the provided data, details the scope of these operational snags and examines the grounded services and affected routes. Furthermore, the likely economic impact on local tourism, where short timelines are crucial, is considered. Passengers now need clarity on their immediate options following these sudden timetable revisions.

A total of six Air New Zealand (ANZ) flights were formally cancelled, affecting travel on a Saturday. These cancellations spanned various times, beginning in the early morning and extending into the late afternoon, demonstrating a prolonged period of operational interruption.

The aircraft types involved in the cancellations were the Airbus A320 (A320) and the ATR 72 (AT72). The A320 is typically utilised for the high-capacity trunk routes between major cities, while the turboprop AT72 aircraft are primarily deployed for regional and inter-island services. The cancellations were distributed as follows:IdentTypeOriginDestinationScheduled Departure TimeANZ406A320Wellington Int’l (WLG / NZWN)Auckland (AKL / NZAA)Sat 06:50AM NZDTANZ527A320Auckland (AKL / NZAA)Christchurch Int’l (CHC / NZCH)Sat 09:10AM NZDTANZ5745AT72Christchurch Int’l (CHC / NZCH)Dunedin Int’l (DUD / NZDN)Sat 09:20AM NZDTANZ5347AT72Wellington Int’l (WLG / NZWN)Christchurch Int’l (CHC / NZCH)Sat 10:40AM NZDTANZ5746AT72Dunedin Int’l (DUD / NZDN)Christchurch Int’l (CHC / NZCH)Sat 11:30AM NZDTANZ5370AT72Christchurch Int’l (CHC / NZCH)Wellington Int’l (WLG / NZWN)Sat 04:10PM NZDT

The six cancellations by Air New Zealand were concentrated across three vital inter-island routes and one South Island regional link, demonstrating a broad geographical impact:

Wellington – Auckland: One cancellation was recorded on this key North Island trunk route.Auckland – Christchurch: One cancellation was recorded on the busiest inter-island route.Wellington – Christchurch: Services between the capital and the largest South Island city experienced two cancellations (ANZ5347 and ANZ5370), one in each direction, utilising the smaller AT72 turboprop aircraft.Christchurch – Dunedin: The critical regional link between Christchurch and Dunedin experienced two cancellations (ANZ5745 and ANZ5746), one in each direction, also operated by the AT72 aircraft.Delays

Beyond the six cancelled flights, an additional 45 flights were subject to delays, constituting 10% of the total operations. Delays indicates that an extensive portion of the airline’s schedule was affected, resulting in inconvenience for a significantly larger number of travelers than the six cancelled services alone would suggest.

Four major New Zealand airports were directly affected by the six cancellations, functioning as either the origin or destination for the grounded services:

Wellington International Airport (WLG / NZWN): This hub was impacted by cancellations of flights to Auckland and Christchurch.Auckland International Airport (AKL / NZAA): New Zealand’s largest airport saw cancellations on its routes to Wellington and Christchurch.Christchurch International Airport (CHC / NZCH): This South Island gateway experienced the highest frequency of disruption, with cancellations affecting services to Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin.Dunedin Airport (DUD / NZDN): This southern regional airport was affected by cancellations on its route to and from Christchurch.

The disruption to services, particularly those involving the AT72 turboprops on regional routes like Christchurch–Dunedin, is expected to have had an immediate negative effect on local tourism. Domestic air travel is frequently relied upon for short-break itineraries, where tightly scheduled arrivals and departures are essential.

The cancellations into Christchurch and Dunedin, which act as primary gateways to the South Island’s major tourist attractions, would have resulted in immediate visitor loss. Such interruptions can lead to revenue losses for pre-booked tourism services, including accommodation and tour operators, thereby compromising the economic contributions typically made by domestic tourists to regional economies.

Passengers whose travel plans have been impacted by these cancellations or delays by Air New Zealand, are advised to take immediate action to manage their disrupted journey. Recourse options for affected travellers are often governed by the carrier’s conditions of carriage and New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Act 1990 for domestic services.

Affected passengers are typically rebooked on the next available flight to their destination. If the alternative flight is unsuitable, a refund for the unused portion of the ticket may be requested. For controllable disruptions, passengers may also be entitled to claim proven and reasonable damages, up to a maximum liability specified by law. Affected travellers should retain all receipts and documentation for any incurred expenses, such as unforeseen accommodation or ground transport costs, as these may be required to support a subsequent claim for damages. Passengers are strongly recommended to contact Air New Zealand or their booking agent for specific rebooking or refund processing details.

-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.