Meanwhile travellers stranded in Queenstown have been given a temporary reprieve before the travel window is poised to slam shut.
Hundreds of people are in town trying to get back, but there have been constraints on flights out.
This afternoon, the Prime Minister announced the initial 48 hour travel window will be extended by 24 hours until midnight on Friday for flights from Queenstown and sailings on the Cook Strait Ferry.
Tess Brunton has more.
