New Zealand: Evacuation at Auckland International Airport amid fire Dec. 27

Event

Fire and Emergency and security personnel proceeded to the evacuation of the Auckland Airport's International terminal after a small fire occurred in the duty-free area at 7 pm (local time) on Thursday, December 27. Operations have currently resumed to normal, although residual disruptions are expected to persist in the coming hours.

Context

Located 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of the Auckland city centre, Auckland international airport (AKL) is the busiest airport in New Zealand, with over 20 million passengers per year.

Advice

Individuals travelling to, from, or via Auckland International Airport are advised to confirm their flight schedule, prepare for longer waiting times, and contact their airline for further information.