Airport safety & security procedures

Safety is and will always be the primary objective for Wellington Airport. We have a comprehensive safety management system which is audited annually by the Civil Aviation Authority. We are dedicated to the safety and security of our customers, employees, community, and country.

Dedicated safety teams

Our teams follow strict safety procedures for all activities at the airport. All Wellington Airport employees are required to complete an Airport Safety Induction course before starting work at the airport.

Incidents and accidents are reported and followed up in accordance with OSH guidelines to isolate, minimise and eliminate hazards or potentially dangerous practices.

Half of Wellington Airport’s employees work in official safety roles. These include:

• Policy & Procedures
• Health & Safety
• Airside Operations
• Airport Fire Service

Airport Fire Service

The Airport Fire Service (AFS) is owned and operated by Wellington Airport. It provides 24-hour on-airport emergency response and conducts annual emergency exercises to test the readiness of all the agencies that would be involved in a real emergency.

The service has 27 staff trained to Airport Rescue Fire Fighting best practice standards and Civil Aviation Authority requirements. Firefighters are trained in delivering pre-hospital emergency care, use of defibrillator equipment and resuscitation, and attend medical emergencies within the airport area.

The AFS station is located in the centre of the airport, enabling crew to reach either end of the runway within 3 minutes. It has both land and marine emergency response capabilities. Construction is underway on a modern new Airport Fire Station on Coutts Street in Rongotai.

Airside safety

Wellington International Airport team members manage the daily operation of the airfield to ensure that all aircraft operators, ground support services and agencies operate in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand. Airside safety procedures include:

• Daily inspections of the aircraft movement areas including four runway inspections.
• Maintenance of airside facilities to ensure that the runway and taxiways are safe for use.
• Management of wildlife that can pose a threat to aircraft safety i.e. birds.
• The licensing of all drivers using the airfield and the policing of driving standards.
• A critical liaison role between the airport and response agencies during emergencies.
• Supervision of airfield engineering work sites to ensure minimum disruptions to airline operations and safe working conditions for contractors.

Medical and Emergency Assistance

For urgent medical attention or in an emergency please call 111. Additionally, you can:

• Alert a staff member.
• Call our airport team on +64 4 385 5124
• Contact the Airport Operations Team using the customer assistance phones (located on the Ground Floor and Level 1).