In its first full year of unrestricted travel since COVID-19, New Zealand’s flag carrier transported 15.9 million passengers and operated 169,835 domestic and international flights, up from 12.3 million passengers and 152,000 flights in 2022.

United Airlines flight 839, on board the 787-9 N19951, and American Airlines flight 73, on board the 777-300ER N730AN, chose to divert to Canberra rather than hold at Sydney, which was having technical difficulties with the instrument landing system at runway 16L.

The multi-million-dollar upgrades originally planned for completion this year, which will overhaul the international terminal including passenger and border processing facilities to better support overseas flights, have been set back due in part to “supply chain issues”, airport management said in a statement just before the new year.

Three 737 MAX 8s and one 737-800 leased to Flair from a trio of Ireland-based lessors were repossessed last March over unpaid fees, which reportedly resulted in 777 Partners sending planes that had been earmarked for Bonza to Flair in order to make up the shortfall.