Air traffic control outage disrupts trans-Tasman flights

Saturday 16 August 2025 · 3 outlets · 3 reports · updated Sat 16 Aug 2025, 8:02pm

In this story Air New Zealand, Airways New Zealand

An outage in Airways New Zealand's oceanic air traffic control system disrupted services across the Tasman on Saturday night. Multiple Australia-bound flights were forced into holding patterns or diverted back to New Zealand, and five domestic flights were delayed or grounded. An investigation into the disruption is underway.

How they headlined it

7:19pm8:02pm

1. Otago Daily TimesSat 16 Aug 2025, 7:19pm

   Air traffic control fault disrupts multiple trans-Tasman flights (opens in new tab)

2. 1NewsSat 16 Aug 2025, 7:28pm

   Flights delayed, grounded after air traffic control power outage (opens in new tab)

3. RNZSat 16 Aug 2025, 8:02pm

   Air traffic control outage disrupts multiple flights, forcing diversions back to New Zealand (opens in new tab)