'Similar numbers to Christmas' Auckland Airport warns of busy Easter travel period

Auckland Airport is calling upon travellers to be patient as it gears up for a particularly busy Easter period, warning of potentially lengthy wait times as refurbishment works continue and the aviation sector struggles to return to its pre-pandemic normal. More than 800,000 people are set to travel over the upcoming school holidays, which coincide with Easter, Anzac Day and the end-of-term breaks in several Australian states, the airport said. Auckland Airport chief customer officer Scott Tasker said passengers numbers are expected to exceed 80% of 2019 levels in both the domestic and international terminals. “It’s not often all these public holidays fall within the school holiday period, plus our end of term lining up with the Australian school breaks, so we’re seeing similar traveller numbers to the Christmas period,” he said. “For international travel, all through the Easter weekend and into that first week of the school holidays it’s going to be particularly busy for departures. On the arrivals side, it’s the last weekend of the school holidays that we’re going to see our busiest days.” The most popular regional destination over the Easter school holidays is Napier, with some 30,000 people set to fly to and from Hawke’s Bay as repairs to State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupō and State Highway 2 between Napier and Gisborne continue in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.<br/>