NZAA closed due to runway lighting failure

[David Ramsay]

NZAA Saturday night 27/11

atis nzaa t 1004
apch: Expect ils dme approach
rwy: 23l
sfc cond: Dry
opr info: Uze 118 decimal 7 for tower ground and delivery aerodrome closed due runway lighting failure
wind: 220/07
vis: 30km
cld: Sct012
t: 16
dp: 15
qnh: 1019
2000ft: R190/11

Multiple diversions to NZCH, NZWN, and NZHN.

[Nigel C]

Ouch...someone forget to pay the bill? NZAA's response to so-called global warming (which I might add, NZ could probably do with some!)?

[Wayne Bee]

It wasn't the case of the last one out turning off the lights was it?
I read somewhere that the numbers of people that did one way Tasman crossings was up this year.

[Nigel C]

Let me guess...they were east to west?

[Matt_L]

Backup lighting? for an intl airport- you would have thought!

I also find it very odd that the airport is closed yet they still have a full blown ATIS with runways in use etc! rather then information Zulu aerodrome closed

[Wayne Bee]

Originally Posted by Nigel C

Let me guess...they were east to west?

Correct

(Better not say to much as I did it 25 years ago)

[Mick B]

New Zealand...the only Third World country where you can drink the tap water!

[Karl M]

saw a telex at work last night stating QF 134 was waiting for first light to depart! I hope AKL airport provided some beds for those PAX.

[Nigel C]

Originally Posted by Matt_L

Backup lighting? for an intl airport- you would have thought!

Kerosene lamps or drums filled with lit diesel...what do you suggest?

It depends on what caused the failure in the first place. If it's a cable fault then it'll require some digging around to find the fault, but it could be something in a regulator room that's failed. Having said that, one would hope that a failure would only result in half the lights going out, not all of them.

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Would this explain why the Emirates A380 hasn't returned (acc to my log) or is it unrelated?