Flight Cancellations in Christchurch, Rotorua, Invercargill, Wellington and more Creates Travel Interruptions across New Zealand as Air New Zealand Suspends Seven Flights and Delays Multiple Others

Published on December 7, 2025

Travel plans for many across New Zealand were abruptly halted on 7th December, 2025. Air New Zealand faced operational challenges, leading to disturbances across its domestic network. In fact, the airline was forced to suspend seven flights outright, creating immediate cancellations. Furthermore, 66 other services experienced significant delays, severely affecting numerous passengers. This challenging situation touched key hubs and regional airports alike. Cities like Christchurch, Rotorua, Invercargill and Wellington all felt the direct impact of these service interruptions. Consequently, passengers must now navigate unexpected travel upheaval. This report breaks down the affected routes and analyzes the implications for the country’s busy travel season.

A Breakdown of the Affected Flights

The core of the issue lies in the seven flights that were completely suspended from the schedule. These cancellations directly impacted travel connectivity across the country, affecting multiple city-pair routes. The aircraft types involved were predominantly the smaller DH8C (de Havilland Dash 8 Q300) and AT72 (ATR 72), which are typically utilized for regional and domestic services. A single A320 jet service, which often connects major centres, was also included in the seven suspended flights. The flights affected were:

• ANZ5707 (DH8C): Christchurch Int’l (CHC) to Invercargill (IVC)
• ANZ5231 (DH8C): Rotorua (ROT) to Wellington Int’l (WLG)
• ANZ5708 (DH8C): Invercargill (IVC) to Christchurch Int’l (CHC)
• ANZ5005 (AT72): Auckland (AKL) to Napier (NPE)
• ANZ5012 (AT72): Napier (NPE) to Auckland (AKL)
• ANZ616 (A320): Queenstown (NZQN) to Auckland (AKL)
• ANZ5234 (DH8C): Wellington Int’l (WLG) to Rotorua (ROT)

The ripple effect of the cancellations was observed across a multitude of regional and trunk routes, challenging the fluid movement of passengers. Key regional links were severed, including the return service between Christchurch and Invercargill, which is vital for South Island transport and the reciprocal route between Rotorua and Wellington, which affects North Island movements. Furthermore, the cancellation of the services connecting Auckland and Napier impacts both business and leisure travel between the largest city in New Zealand and the Hawke’s Bay region. The cancellation of the jet service from Queenstown to Auckland also suggests an impact on high-volume tourist and long-haul connecting traffic. The complexity of re-accommodating passengers on these varied routes is anticipated to have presented a substantial logistical challenge for Air New Zealand.

Delays

In addition to the seven outright cancellations, operational challenges were further evidenced by the 66 recorded delays. This large volume represents 13% of the total services analyzed. While the specific lengths of these delays are not detailed, a figure of this magnitude indicates pervasive operational sluggishness across the Air New Zealand network.

Affected Airports

The disruption was broadly distributed across several critical airports in New Zealand. The following major and regional hubs were directly impacted by the cancellations:

• Christchurch International Airport (CHC)
• Invercargill Airport (IVC)
• Rotorua Regional Airport (ROT)
• Wellington International Airport (WLG)
• Auckland Airport (AKL)
• Napier (Hawke’s Bay) Airport (NPE)
• Queenstown Airport (NZQN)

Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland, as the largest domestic hubs, bore the brunt of the schedule volatility, but the regional impact on cities like Rotorua and Invercargill is proportionally significant. Reliable air service is often essential for the economic vitality of these regional areas.

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

The suspension of seven flights and the delays to over sixty others might have created an immediate adverse effect on local tourism in the affected cities. For regional centres such as Invercargill, Rotorua and Napier, air connectivity is a critical driver of visitor arrivals. Cancellations disrupt pre-booked itineraries, leading to missed hotel check-ins, abandoned tour reservations and forfeited car rentals. The inability of passengers to reliably move through hubs like Auckland and Wellington to reach their final domestic destinations can compromise the flow of both international and domestic visitors. This operational setback for Air New Zealand can create uncertainty for travellers, challenging the reliability of the New Zealand travel network and potentially leading to short-term revenue loss for local tourism operators.

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

Passengers whose travel was impacted by the Air New Zealand disruptions are advised to take immediate action. Firstly, all affected individuals should utilize the airline’s official communication channels, such as its website or mobile application, to seek real-time updates and rebooking information.

Secondly, under the provisions of the Civil Aviation Act 1990 in New Zealand, passengers whose domestic flight is cancelled or delayed due to events within the airline’s control may be entitled to proven and reasonable damages, up to a maximum of ten times the price of the ticket. Such damages may cover reasonable accommodation, meals and transport costs if the passenger is required to stay overnight. It is recommended that detailed records, including receipts and invoices for any out-of-pocket expenses, be retained for any potential claim. Alternatively, passengers may be offered rebooking on the next available service or a full refund for the unused portion of their ticket.

-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.