Timaru Airport has been closed following what Air New Zealand describes as bird activity.
Details are scant, but Timaru District Council confirmed Richard Pearse Airport was closed on Wednesday morning and referred further comment to Air New Zealand.
The airline's chief operational integrity and safety officer, Captain David Morgan, said a flight from Timaru to Wellington was cancelled.
"Flight NZ8190 from Timaru to Wellington rejected take-off this morning due to pilot concerns about bird activity in the take-off path," he said, in a statement.
"The aircraft stopped on the runway and will remain there while standard procedures take place, before being moved back to the terminal. The airline is working with the relevant authorities to ensure all aspects of the event are shared and understood.
"As a result, NZ8193 from Wellington to Timaru and NZ8192 from Timaru to Wellington this afternoon have been cancelled. We apologise to customers whose travel has been impacted and we are working to reaccommodate their travel plans."
The airline did not elaborate on what the standard procedures were or what the birds were doing to led to the flights' cancellation.
The council confirmed the airport, which was owned by the council, was closed but would not comment on why.
