Electrical fault confirmed as cause of Auckland airbridge malfunction
Auckland Airport Domestic Terminal in January 2022.
Photo:
RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Auckland Airport has confirmed that an electrical fault impacted an airbridge last weekend, causing it to not connect with the side of an aircraft.
However, the airport said it did not lead to any safety concerns and resulted in only a one-hour delay.
On 8 June, an airbridge at the Auckland domestic terminal experienced an electrical fault, impacting the canopy at one end of the airbridge.
No members of the public were on the airbridge at the time.
"Passengers on an arriving Jetstar flight were able to exit the aircraft via stairs rather than walking directly onto the airbridge and experienced no delays," a spokesperson said.
"The fault resulted in a one-hour delay for a later departing aircraft."
Jetstar told RNZ that the airbridge was unable to extend and make contact with the side of their aircraft.
"For safety reasons, customers disembarked the inbound flight and boarded JQ295 using the rear stairs."
Jetstar will often board and disembark from both the front and the rear of some aircraft.
The departure of a flight from Auckland to Queenstown was delayed by approximately one hour which flowed on to delaying a subsequent flight out of Queenstown back to Auckland.
Auckland Airport said it was committed to maintaining its airbridges to high standards, and they were subject to frequent planned inspections by engineers with regular maintenance and upgrades being carried out as part of an ongoing programme of work.
"We also have an established programme of airbridge renewal and replacement, with two new airbridges purchased in the last year."
A spokesperson said when airbridges experienced faults, the airport's priority was ensuring the safety of travellers and workers, while working to fix the airbridges as quickly as possible.
"Some of the older airbridges at the domestic terminal are planned for replacement when the new domestic jet terminal opens in 2029 and will be maintained in accordance with rigourous operational and maintenance standards until that time."
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