Flights in and out of Dunedin cancelled

A second bout of fog hit Dunedin Airport about 5pm today affecting flights again. Photo: Jayden Lawrence

A brief reprieve from fog allowed a few planes to land at Dunedin Airport earlier this afternoon but disruptions look set to continue as the bad weather rolls in resulting in the cancellation of more flights.

The official Dunedin Airport twitter account posted at 5.15pm that fog had returned for a second time today and would impact some travellers' plans.

Flights in and out of the city have been cancelled for the rest of the night along with the first two flights that were meant to depart Dunedin tomorrow morning.

Richard Bott (24), from Sydney was philosophical about his delayed flight to Wellington today. Photo: Gregor Richardson

The cancellations meant that all flights to and from majors centres Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have been cancelled.

Passengers that were bound for Dunedin on the 7.15pm flight from Wellington were offered paid accommodation only if they were in transit.

Earlier today an Air New Zealand flight had been circling around Dunedin Airport for about 40 minutes before heavy fog forced the pilot to return to Wellington this morning.

The thick layer of fog on the Taieri Plain, which followed a frost earlier in the morning, was playing havoc with flights in and out of Dunedin Airport today.

Air New Zealand flight NZ691 from Wellington to Dunedin has been cancelled due to fog. Photo: Justine Price

Passengers aboard an Air New Zealand flight due to land at 10.25am were forced to wait as the pilot circled Dunedin Airport for about 40 minutes only to return to 

Wellington when there was no break in the fog.

A passenger aboard the plane said the pilot told them visibility was at only 500m and the fog had made for a "chaotic" day.

Air New Zealand flights to and from Auckland and Wellington and a flight from Christchurch were cancelled this morning and there have been significant delays for other services.

The Virgin Australia flight to Brisbane was scheduled to leave at 7.45am but has been rescheduled and is now set to leave at 2.15pm.

People who were meant to fly from Wellington to Dunedin line up at the helpdesk at Wellington Airport. Photo: Justine Price

On its website the Dunedin Airport is advising travellers to check with their airlines for updated flight times.

This came after much of Otago woke to frosts this morning, including Dunedin.

According to MetService Queenstown was the coldest of Otago's main centres hitting -2degC at 6am.

According to Niwa Ranfurly dropped to -5.4degC overnight.

A flight from Wellington circled Dunedin Airport for about 40 minutes this morning before being forced back to Wellington because of heavy fog. Photo: supplied