As you enjoy your summer break this year, perhaps spare a thought for border security staff who are expecting the busiest time of year with a swarm of new international flights and passengers.
Last week, 57 new biosecurity staff, including 24 detector dog teams, graduated from their training at a ceremony in Auckland.
"There will be no summer holidays for many biosecurity staff working at the border," Ministry of Primary Industries Border Clearance director Steve Gilbert says.
"They will be hard at work ensuring fruit fly and other dangerous pests or diseases don’t make it into New Zealand."
Mr Gilbert says they are expecting to see record numbers of passengers passing through international airports.
"We anticipate the busiest day for Auckland Airport will be January 3 with between 18,000 and 20,000 arriving international passengers. The busiest day last summer saw fewer than 17,000 passengers pass through MPI's biosecurity processes."
MPI staff at Queenstown Airport are expecting January 2 to be the busiest day with up to 1500 arriving international passengers.
The busiest day last summer saw around 1170 passengers greeted by biosecurity staff.
The busiest period for Christchurch Airport staff is likely to be the week ending February 3 with more than 21,000 international arrivals predicted.
Wellington Airport staff are tipped to be at their most busy next week, with up to 25,000 people arriving.
New arriving flights to New Zealand over summer include direct Air New Zealand flights from Buenos Aires to Auckland three times a week, a direct China Southern Airlines service from Guangzhou to Christchurch and a Philippine Airline service operating from Manila to Auckland.
Last summer, MPI checked 1,533,880 arriving international passengers for biosecurity risk goods.
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