The video simulation shows the design of Auckland Airport’s new baggage handling system to be developed and built alongside the combined domestic and international terminal. Video / Included
To the airport at the weekend? Everyone else too.
Auckland Airport forecasts busiest school holiday in years.
120,000 passengers are expected to depart on international flights for the July holidays – twice as many as in April.
Australia tops the league for most overseas seats, followed by Fiji and the US.
July is traditionally the busiest month for sun-seekers and departing international travellers. Auckland Airport GM of Operations Anna Cassels-Brown says her forecast shows terminals will be at their fullest level since 2019.
“It will be particularly busy this Friday, with the following Fridays rounding out the three busiest departure days – at both the domestic and international terminals. On the arrival side, weekends tend to be the busiest.”
This weekend, Air New Zealand says they will be back at three-quarters capacity utilization on their international and domestic networks. The airline said it was its busiest time on record, restarting 16 international routes in as many days. The appetite for winter sun helps international routes recover.
The Sunshine Coast, Hobart and Adelaide are back online this weekend, as are Noumea, Honolulu and Pape’ete.
This brings the total number of international destinations connected to Auckland to 33, served by 18 airlines
Take the family line
During the school holidays, Auckland Airport will operate a dedicated line for families with young children. These will operate outbound through security checks and inbound via biosecurity and customs for arrivals.
It’s the plan
They were developed with the New Zealand border authorities and tested for the first time in the summer of 2019/20. However, it is only now that school holiday traffic has increased sufficiently to justify family-only use of lines.
Cassels-Brown says the lines are there to take the pressure off family groups and ensure screening pinch points work “as smoothly as possible”.
Don’t travel hungry – bring your own snacks
While travelers’ appetites for international travel are clear, many in-terminal food and beverage options have yet to return to pre-pandemic operations.
Especially in the evenings, the gastronomy in the international terminal is limited. Due to the labor shortage, the airport expects groceries and retail will remain limited.
“If you’re traveling especially with children, please remember to bring snacks,” says Cassels-Brown
Plan your parking lot to avoid construction work
The ongoing construction work in front of the International Terminal comes into the travelers’ calculations. The site of the new public transport hub has closed parking lots, so the next parking lots in D and E are a further 10 minutes away.
While there is a shuttle from the Park and Ride to the International Terminal every 7 minutes, passengers are advised to arrive on time.
Busiest days for travel
The start of the holiday on Friday 8 July is expected to be the busiest for outbound domestic and international travel, with international arrivals peaking on Sunday 10 July.
If you’re looking to escape the crush of returning passengers, Friday 22 July is expected to be the busiest day for arrivals at both domestic and international terminals as the holiday ends.
Three busiest days for international arrivals: Sunday 10 July, Saturday 16 July, Saturday 23 July
Three busiest days for international departures: Friday 8 July, Friday 15 July, Friday 22 July
Three busiest days for domestic arrivals: Friday 8 July, Sunday 10 July, Friday 22 July,
Three busiest days for domestic departures: Friday 8 July, Friday 15 July, Friday 22 July