Passengers left high and dryin Auckland

Passengers left high and dryin Auckland

AIRPASSENGERS travelling to New Zealand would have been going round the bend if they knew what air traffic control at Auckland were up to.

Takeoffs and landings were interrupted while the only controller on duty took a tea break.

For half-an-hour, 10 aircraft were forced to circle Auckland Airport and all takeoffs were suspended. The situation arose when two of the controllers were off sick, a replacement was stuck in traffic, and the only controller on duty had to take a break because he had been working for three hours continuously.

During the shutdown, air-traffic control at Christchurch continued to monitor the area on radar. It makes you wonder what takes place on the ground when you are up there.