Requirements for Aircraft Entering New Zealand

Standard under development

General information regarding aircraft arrivals:

Any type of aircraft arriving in New Zealand from outside New Zealand territory must land at an airport approved as a place of first arrival. Airports currently approved are:

Auckland International Airport
Hamilton International Airport
Palmerston North International Airport
Wellington International Airport
Christchurch International Airport
Dunedin International Airport
Queenstown International Airport
Invercargill International Airport
Whenuapai Air Force Base (Military)
Ohakea Air Force Base (Military)

Commercial cargoes (including pets) are only permitted to be landed at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch international airports.

The person in charge (Captain) of an aircraft, that is not a commercial scheduled flight, must notify the MAF inspector at the airport as to when it is intending to arrive.

The approved places of first arrival have arrangements, facilities and systems for the clearance of passengers, crew, their baggage, risk goods and destruction of aircraft waste.

Disinsection of aircraft

MAF and the Ministry of Health require aircraft to be disinsected on arrival for invertebrates that may be pests or vectors of animal, plant or human disease. Surveys have conclusively shown that international aircraft present a pathway for hitch-hiking invertebrates.

Aircraft Disinsection Procedures (offsite link to www.affa.gov.au) 

Non-approved Airports

Aircraft are not permitted to land at non-approved airports unless approval for the flight is gained from the Director-General of Agriculture and Forestry.

Page last updated: 30 April 2008