Auckland Airport

Not Verified | Having to pass through this airport for both arrival from an International flight and departure from a flight within to International destination, this airport failed on both accounts. Their signage is very poor and ambiguous. We had to go through security 3 times upon arrival from Canada as we were completely lost as to which corridor to take ( which for some unknown reason is called the transit corridor, which evokes an actual bus or something, which it isn't). Even the staff who escorted me to where I needed to be were wrong, and so much time was wasted trying to figure out which floor and corridor to take. When you disembark an International flight and are greeted with a sign that says 'International passengers', would you not assume that it means you go that way? Apparently not. Long line-ups for security and customs. On our return flight, the bus that takes you from the domestic arrival gate to the International departure gate was nowhere to be seen. So, as an older woman, I had to walk at the fastest pace I could (took 15 min at least), only to have to wait in another long line up for security, etc. If it hadn't been for a passing airport shuttle that was taking another couple of passengers to their plane, we would have missed our connecting flight. In fact, our seats were already occupied when we arrived at our plane. Those passengers had to get off of the plane so that we could continue our flight. Worst airport experience of my life.

✅ Trip Verified | Extremely non-customer friendly organisation. No point arriving early if you have a morning flight because the security opens only 90 mins before the first flight. Which means that you need to wait in a small space with hardly anything to do and then everyone needs to enter at the same time. Standing in the queue for passport check took not less than 30 mins, then add extra 15 mins for the security itself. You end up having hardly enough time to get to your gate if it's far away. Oh yes, and no restaurants in direct proximity of the gate. You're already in a hurry because you just have a few minutes to spare after the long wait for security, so obviously you're not gonna do shopping or have a meal at a restaurant.

Not Verified | What's with the 45 minute queue through the transit gate - weren't you guys expecting any passengers? It is easier and quicker to enter Melbourne or Houston than what it is to go through your international transit gate. More screening points would hekp you know... Standing in the transit queue there is this rumbling hooboo-hooboo ongoing non-stop. Is this some Maori calling their god - do we really have to listen to that? Now, there is this thing called the Internet, and there is this thing called the wi-fi. Look, this is NZ so where does one start explaining not knowing what is known in this part of the world? Long and short is that wi-fi is used to connect to the Internet and, believe it nor not, in other countries they actually have FREE wi-fi at airports. Maybe send somebody overseas and get them trained up on the whole Internet/ wi-fi thing, it is quite popular in other countries.

Not Verified | Having just come through both Bangkok and Singapore Changi, Auckland airport always manages to be wholly underwhelming. 15 mins to get a disembarkation pier to the aircraft (did you know it was coming ?), gigantic bio queues and an especially nice touch after 18hrs travel, about a kilometer walk to the car park over uneven ground (for a roller case). Heck, I almost prefer arriving at Heathrow. Air NZ lounge is rather weak too. None of these are world class facilities.

Not Verified | Travelling from Christchurch to Melbourne with a transit in Auckland. Christchurch was fine and the arrival at Auckland Domestic terminal uneventful. Luggage was booked through so no experience of service there. Walk from Domestic to International Terminal is about ten minutes - there is a bus but only every 15 minutes so usually walk. The International terminal was very crowded and it was there that the problems started. From joining the queue to get to passport control and through security to emerging in the airside departure area took 65 minutes. First there was a queue to join the queue to get to the e-gates for passport control. They seem to have only about a third of the e-gates working and were letting batches of people through at a time to use them. This appeared to be a method of preventing security screening being overwhelmed. There were about eight security screening stations open but the whole process was painfully slow. Luckily we had a two hour connection so no danger of missing the flight to Melbourne but judging by the number of calls for missing passengers many were not so lucky. Definitely worst airport experience since transiting LA nearly 20 years ago.

Not Verified | Very poor service in passport control and security took 2hours 30 min to get airside boarded plane after the fine call for flight.. After being on aircraft approx 20 min airline staff said that ten passengers who had checked in for flight where still not on flight so their luggage needed to taken off the flight . this caused our flight to Doha to miss most of its connecting flights from Doha. Surely Auckland airport can sort this delay problem out? seems to me they have more flights than they can handle

Not Verified | Horrendous arrangement for departure passport control and security with half the gates closed at peak time and those that are open being tortuously slow. The prospect of getting through this in <30mins even with express lane is imaginary.

Not Verified | What a debacle. Had to wait 40 minutes on flight till the doors were opened by airport staff. Then got bus into terminal where the door was locked. Waited another 10 minutes for someone to open it (much to bus drivers embarrassment). Shocking service.

Not Verified | Are they deliberately trying to make our lives worse? Not only is getting on a 6am flight bad enough but then some bright spark decided there was no need to open security till 90 minutes before the first flight took off. So, being required for an international flight to get there 2 if not 3 hours before, hundreds of people are then left waiting outside security with minimal seating, and one food place open. When they did open, they were rushed by the mob to get through security to their gates. On top of this the staff are officious and unhelpful. My advice- try and avoid Auckland airport as much as possible!

Not Verified | Our flight was at 6:10am to Melbourne. We checked in and checked our bags at 4:45am. We proceeded to security. As soon as we got off the escalator it was a blob of people with no queuing ribbons. We waited for a while but realized everyone was cutting and time was running out. A sign said 40 min wait from where to corded line started. By then it was 5:10 and our flight boarded at 5:25. Someone in line suggested we go to the express line to ask if we could pass because our flight was about to board. We did but they said no. Some nice people in the line let us into the actual queue so at least we were not in the lawless blob and we were actually making progress. The passport control is automated and should be fast but somehow nothing is fast or efficient. After 45 min we finally arrived at the actual security ck. They advised us to put laptops out. There are no signs about this only a guy who tells you. My bad I didn’t specifically ask about ipads. It was now 6:00am. Both our bags sorted to hand search where a single agent was nonchalantly opening bags finding canned drinks (coke & monster etc. not reusable) & asking their owners if they wanted to drink them. No sense of urgency whatsoever. Instead of just throwing it out and moving to the next bag. There were 5 bags ahead of ours. I sent my husband to the gate (18 at least 3/4 of a mile away) I waited. My bad ipad found. Second bag. Nothing. “Oh we just didn’t get a picture”. Rerun. It’s now 6:15am. Several agents have assured me that this is fine the airlines are uses to this and will hold the plane. Meanwhile at the gate they are telling my husband that the gate is closing. Nothing in second bag. Finally I am literally running with bad knees and 2 bags to the farthest gate when I passed a woman with a cart. “Please drive me to gate 18 my flight is leaving” “ I’m afraid I can’t do that”. Continue running. The gate is in sight. Finally a nice lady in another cart with an older couple (not much older than me but less fit) stopped and picked me up. I made it in the plane 6:30am. I’ve traveled all around the world. This is the worst airport ever. Completely inefficient. Signage that says stuff but not what you need to know. “No liquids ovee 100ml” but no indication if they need to be in a baggie. Out of your bag? Mystery. No signage re ipads or laptops. Just a guy telling you if he thinks to tell you as you load your bin for xray. Unfortunately we need to go back because our second half of our vacation is in the South Island. We will have to fly out of Auckland again back to the states later in the month. I dread going back to NZ. I’d stay in Australia if we hadn’t prepaid hotels in NZ. But I won’t go back again. There are so many places to spend your tourist money without the stress of an inefficient airport. Third world countries do much better. The only thing that came close was a Paris airport general slowdown in the 1990s and they were deliberately trying and inconvenience visitors.