WELLINGTON 
The Customhouse, 1 Hinemoa Street, Wellington 
PO Box 2218, Wellington 6140 
Phone: 04 901 4500  Fax: 04 901 4555  All general enquiries phone: 0800 428 786  
Email: [email address]  Website: www.customs.govt.nz 
 
 
 
6 December 2023       
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ref: OIA 23-417 
 
 
Irene 
By email: [FYI request #24910 email] 
 
 
 
Tēnā koe Irene 
 
Transfer of request for information under the Official Information Act 1982 
 
Thank you for your request  of  28 November  2023  to the  New Zealand Customs Service 
(Customs)  via the FYI Website,  requesting the following  information under the Official 
Information Act 1982 (the Act): 
“Under the OIA I request: 
- Al  internal emails regarding the long queues experienced at Auckland Airport on 26 
November, including the formulation of the communications response; 
- Any subsequent briefings, memos, aide-memoire or key learnings developed from 
the events of 26 November. 
- Any subsequent briefings, memos, aide-memoire or key learnings developed from 
the events of 19 October when similar queues occurred from the extra charter flight. 
 
I am also interested to know: 
- What evidence does the NZCS have that increased passenger numbers were due 
to "thanksgiving"?  
- What passenger information does the New Zealand Customs Service receive and 
at what interval regarding expected or actual passenger numbers (noting the Herald 
reported "Auckland Airport shares flight and passenger data in advance"? 
-  What plans are in place to ensure this doesn't occur again in the short term, 
particularly as we head into the Christmas/New Year period?” 
 
I am transferring this request to the Civil Aviation Authority under section 14(b)(i ) of the Act. 
The information requested is believed by the person dealing with the request to be more 
closely connected with the functions of the Civil Aviation Authority.  
 
You have the right, by way of complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman under section 28(3) 
of the Official Information Act 1982, to seek an investigation and review of this decision. 
Information about how to make a complaint is available online at: 
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz , or you can phone 0800 802 602.  
 
Nāku noa, nā 
 
 
 
Debbie Kay 
Manager, Correspondence, Reviews and Ministerial Servicing 

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