Flight NZ681 between Wellington and Dunedin attempted to land twice this morning but then turned back to the capital.
An airport announcement in Dunedin said it was due to severe turbulence and wind shear.
One of the passengers, Megan, told RNZ several people vomited as the flight neared Dunedin.
MetService has a strong wind watch in place for coastal areas of Dunedin and Clutha until 5pm today for possible severe southwest gales in exposed places.
Air New Zealand's chief operational integrity and safety officer, Captain David Morgan, said challenging weather across the country was affecting flights.
He confirmed flight NZ681 was unable to land due to strong winds and the subsequent NZ686 flight was cancelled.
"Our customer care and airport teams are working to re-accommodate customers in both Wellington and Dunedin on the next available services," he said.
Air New Zealand said it was the only flight disruption to or from Dunedin.
New Plymouth 7-year-old Thijs was was on the flight with his mother and said it had been a bit scary. He said if their holiday was delayed they would at least get to see friends in Wellington.
Meanwhile, flight NZ613 en route from Auckland to Queenstown this morning encountered a lightning strike.
"Given the aircraft’s location and the availability of engineering support and spare aircraft, the decision was made to divert back to Auckland, where the aircraft landed safely a short time later," Capt Morgan said.
"Lightning strikes are not uncommon, and our pilots do train for this scenario.
"The aircraft is undergoing standard engineering checks, and all customers have been transferred to an alternative aircraft, which has since departed from Auckland."
Capt Morgan thanked customers for their patience.
"Customers travelling across our network today should keep an eye on the Air NZ app or ensure contact details in flight bookings are correct so we can keep customers informed of any changes."
- additional reporting ODT Online
