Another day spotting at Auckland Airport

After a few days exploring the beautiful but chilly Auckland, my wonderful wife gave me a day at Auckland Airport for plane spotting. I have to admit, I often get frustrated at Brisbane Airport, where it’s just Virgin, Jetstar, and Qantas over and over. But after spending a day at Auckland Airport, I feel for their spotters—almost every arrival was Air New Zealand. After a while, I just watched instead of taking photos.

Auckland Airport (AKL/NZAA) is an interesting airport because it operates with one main runway, but its runway numbering, 23L makes it look like there's supposed to be a second one. And there is a very good reason for that! Auckland has been planning a second, parallel runway for many decades. The airport's 2025 master plan places the proposed northern runway in the 2033–2038 development period, although I believe that is a planning target rather than a guarantee of an opening date.

The airport is operated by Auckland International Airport Limited and is located at Māngere, a residential suburb 21 kilometres (13 miles) south of the Auckland city centre. The airport has a single 3,635 metre (11,926 ft) runway, 05R/23L, which is Cat IIIb capable in the 23L direction. It has a capacity of about 45 flight movements per hour and is currently the busiest single-runway airport in Oceania. It has a elevation AMSL 7 metres (23 feet).

DASSUALT FALCON 7X EASY N997X (MSN 144) 15 YEARS

EMIRATES AIRBUS A380-861 A6-EUK (MSN 223)
EK80T ARRIVING FROM DUBAI (DXB) 10 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND DASH 8 300 ZK-NEG (MSN 621)
NZ5164 ARRIVING FROM GISBORNE (GIS) 20 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A320-232 VH-VGA (MSN 4899)
JQ232 ARRIVING FROM CHRISTCHURCH (CHC) 14 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A320-232 ZK-OXG (MSN 6460)
NZ580 ARRIVING FROM CHRISTCHURCH (CHC) 11 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND BOEING 777-319 ZK-OKO (MSN 38407)
NZ284 OFF TO SINGAPORE (SIN) 15 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A321-271NX ZK-OYA (MSN 10963)
NZ619 OFF TO QUEENSTOWN (ZQN) 4 YEARS

FIJI AIRWAYS BOEING 737 808 DQ-FJN (MSN 34969)
FJ451 OVERFLYING FROM NADI TO CHRISTCHURCH

AIR CHATHAMS ATR 72-500 ZK-MCO (MSN 628)
3C179 ARRIVING FROM QUEENSTOWN (ZQN) 26 YEARS

LIFE FLIGHT BEECH KING AIR 200C ZK-LFW (MSN BL-156)
LFT02 ARRIVING FROM WELLINGTON (WLG) 16 YEARS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-XZJ (MSN 39365)
QF141 ARRIVING FROM SYDNEY (SYD) 12 YEARS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-VZY (MSN 39363)
QF151 ARRIVING FROM MELBOURNE (MEL) 14 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A320-232 ZK-OAB (MSN 4553)
NZ612 ARRIVING FROM QUEENSTOWN (ZQN) 15 YEARS

KOREAN AIR BOEING 787-10 HL8574 (MSN 60307)
KE412 OFF TO SEOUL (ICN) 1 YEAR

MALAYSIA AIRLINES AIRBUS A330-941 9M-MNL (MSN 2099)
MH145 ARRIVING FROM KUALA LUMPUR (KUL) 1 YEAR

CATHAY PACIFIC AIRBUS A350-941 B-LRG (MSN 053)
CX113 ARRIVING FROM HONG KONG (HKG) 9 YEARS

AIR TAHITI NUI BOEING 787-9 F-OMUA (MSN 39267)
TN101 ARRIVING FROM PAPEETE (PPT) 8 YEARS

BARRIER AIR CESSNA GRAND CARAVAN ZK-SDC (MSN 208B-2057)
GBA106 ARRIVING FROM CLARIS (GBZ) 18 YEARS

FIJI AIRWAYS AIRBUS A330-243 DQ-FJU (MSN 14146)
FJ411 ARRIVING FROM NADI (NAN) 13 YEARS

SINGAPORE AIRLINES BOEING 777-312 9V-SNB (MSN 42241)
SQ285 ARRIVING FROM SINGAPORE (SIN) 11 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A320-251N VH-A5B (MSN 12229)
JQ131 ARRIVING FROM GOLD COAST (OOL) 1 YEAR

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-202 VH-EBO (MSN 1169)
QF119 ARRIVING FROM BRISBANE (BNE) 16 YEARS

AIR CHATHAMS SAB 340A ZK-CIT (MSN 340A-155)
3C835 ARRIVING FROM WHAKATANE (WHK) 37 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND ATR 72-600 ZK-MVP (MSN 1444)
NZ5540 ARRIVING FROM PALMERSTON NORTH (PMR) 9 YEARS

UNITED AIRLINES BOEING 777-224 N78013 (MSN 29861)
UA916 OFF TO SAN FRANCISCO (SFO) 27 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A321-271NX ZK-OYA (MSN 10963)
NZ548 ARRIVING FROM CHRISTCHURCH (CHC) 4 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND DASH 8-300 ZK-NEQ (MSN 636)
NZ5212 ARRIVING FROM BLENHEIM (BHE) 20 YEARS

CHINA EASTERN BOEING 777-39P B-7883 (MSN 43284)
MU779 ARRIVING FROM SHANGHAI (PVG) 9 YEARS

CHINA SOUTHERN AIRBUS A350-941 B-30CE (MSN 376)
CZ305 ARRIVING FROM GUANGZHOU (CAN) 6 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND DASH 8-300 ZK-NEZ (MSN 654) 
NZ5166 ARRIVING FROM GISBORNE (GIS) 19 YEARS

QATAR AIRWAYS AIRBUS A350-941 A7-AME (MSN 163)
QR915 OFF TO ADELAIDE (ADL) 8 YEARS

CESSNA CITATION CJ2 ZK-KGS (MSN 525A0156) 23 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A321-251NX VH-OYW (MSN 12183)
JQ154 OFF TO BRISBANE (BNE) 1 YEAR

CHINA EASTERN BOEING 777-39P B-7882 (MSN 43287)
MU745 ARRIVING FROM SHANGHAI (PVG) 9 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A321-271NX ZK-OYB (MSN 11049)
NZ625 OFF TO QUEENSTOWN (ZQN) 3 YEARS