Air New Zealand Pilot’s Landing Attempt at Wellington Airport Falls Short

AUCKLAND- An Air New Zealand (NZ) flight traveling from Auckland (AKL) to Wellington (WLG) had to turn back to its origin airport on Thursday, October 16, 2025, due to strong winds making it impossible to land.

Flight NZ481 made a full attempt to reach Wellington but circled the airport multiple times before heading back, landing in Auckland around 5 p.m., roughly two hours after its initial departure.

Air New Zealand Pilot Unable to Land

Flight NZ481 took off from Auckland at 3 p.m. and was set to land in Wellington at approximately 4:10 p.m.

As per data from FlightRadar24, the aircraft approached Wellington but could not land because of high crosswinds affecting the runway. After multiple unsuccessful landing attempts, the crew opted to return north to ensure safety, as reported.

Air New Zealand’s Chief Operations Officer, Alex Marren, affirmed that the fierce winds were the primary reason for the flight’s return. She expressed gratitude to passengers for their understanding while they were rebooked on the next available service.

No other Air New Zealand flights were impacted by the weather conditions on that day, indicating that the gusts were confined to a short window during the arrival of NZ481.

Following standard procedure, every passenger was accommodated on subsequent flights. The airline kept passengers informed throughout the delays to facilitate their travel on the same day.

Air New Zealand is known for closely monitoring weather at Wellington Airport, especially because of the airport’s challenges due to gusty wind conditions. Flights attempting to land there can face particularly tricky crosswinds, especially in the spring months.

Similar Incident

A previous Air New Zealand (NZ) flight from Auckland (AKL) to Dunedin (DUD) faced a similar predicament on September 13, 2025. That flight had to return after multiple failed landing attempts due to severe windshear.

The airline confirmed that flight NZ676 was diverted for safety reasons, allowing passengers to be rebooked on different flights.

In this instance, the Airbus A320-232, identified as ZK-OXM, made two approaches to Dunedin Airport (DUD) but couldn’t land safely due to unstable air conditions.

Wind gusts in this situation reached up to 78 km/h, resulting in hazardous windshear close to the runway—one of the most perilous situations for landing aircraft.

Marren reiterated that safety was the utmost priority in deciding to return to Auckland (AKL). “Our pilots adhered to all established procedures, and choosing to divert was a prudent decision,” she remarked, extending apologies for the disruption caused to passengers.

Among those onboard was broadcaster Matty McLean, who was heading to participate in the Dunedin Marathon. He described the aborted landings as “pretty scary,” noting that the aircraft almost reached the runway during the second attempt before the pilots executed a go-around.

Videos shared on social media depicted the plane swaying during its descent. Passengers initially cheered as it seemed poised to land, but the aircraft abruptly climbed again moments later. Despite the unsettling experience, McLean commended the flight crew’s professionalism and composure.