Planes have started taking off from Auckland Airport after thick fog delayed or cancelled more than 200 flights, causing some passengers to wait for more than eight hours.

An airport spokeswoman said 94 domestic departures, 102 domestic arrivals, 19 international departures and 17 international arrivals had been cancelled or delayed.

The fog lifted about 5pm and normal services resumed, with delayed passengers put onto other flights.

Air New Zealand spokeswoman Tracy Sneaton said all the airline’s domestic jets were operating to schedule but regional services had been put on hold.

“Our domestic jet services – Boeing 737 and Airbus A320s – have been operating all day, while turbo-propelled aircraft which operate to the smaller regional centres have been delayed or cancelled. Jets have technology on board which allow them to operate in a certain level of fog.”

A Jetstar spokesman said six of the airline’s domestic flights had been cancelled today and one flight from Sydney had been diverted to Wellington.

Passengers had all been placed on other flights.

Fog is still causing problems at some of the North Island’s smaller airports, with delays in Hamilton, Kerikeri, Rotorua and Tauranga.

One disgruntled passenger, who preferred not to be named, said she had been waiting at Auckland Airport for more than eight hours.

“My holiday’s going really well so far.”

– APNZ

WeatherWatch.co.nz says more fog patches are likely overnight across the upper North Island, but conditions will gradually begin working against the formation of fog over the next 18 hours.