Airport backlog builds up

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 1

Airport backlog builds up

PA Auckland Attempts to clear a backlog of airline passengers in Sydney and Auckland were hampered yesterday when two more Tasman flights had to be cancelled. A strike on Tuesday by fire-fighters, at Mascot Airport, Sydney, led to the stranding of 400 people in Auckland and a similar number in Sydney. Air New Zealand had to cancel two flights to and from Sydney. . A special Qantas flight carried those passengers, but 800 people took their place when Air New Zealand again cancelled its Auckland-Sydney-Auckland service yesterday. Air New Zealand and its pilots had been prepared to

fly but cabin crew refused to work. It has been the New Zealand Airline Stewards and Stewardesses’ Union policy for a number of years not to fly in or out of any airport which does not have firefighting facilities. Crews of other foreign airlines have a similar policy and are refusing to fly in or out of Sydney. Qantas is still making trips because it has its own fire-fighting equipment at the airport. Airports at Auckland, Hamilton, and Taupo were closed for much of yesterday morning because of fog. Air New Zealand cancelled 31 domestic flights but the backlog was cleared by last evening.