The snow has arrived with perfect timing and Queenstown Airport is buzzing, airport COO Todd Grace says.

About 230,000 passenger movements (arrivals and departures) per month are expected in July and August.

A slightly lower number of about 206,000 are expected in September. 

Australian families have already been flying in for their school holidays and another surge is expected with the start of New Zealand school holidays today (Saturday July 6).

“The terminal is full, but we love welcoming people for winter holidays, and we’re well-prepared,” Todd said.

The airport is expecting 230,000 passenger movements in July and the same number in August.

Because the holidays are more spread out there will not be such a concentrated peak of passenger movements, he said.

Todd said the airport expected another influx of people for Winter Pride (August 22) and the Snow Machine Festival (which will run for four days in early September).

Todd said Queenstown Airport was currently tackling some projects and trials to improve the customer experience, including changes to passenger processing, baggage claim and security screening.

Border agencies are trialling a change to passenger processing for passengers arriving from Australia, with the introduction of a biosecurity screening point before baggage collection which has reduced queuing and sped up processing times.

The trial will continue until July 31 to test it with peak passenger numbers and, if that goes smoothly, the new procedures are likely to become permanent, Todd said.

Screens in the baggage claim areas now advise when the first and last bags from a flight have been put on the conveyor belt to get rid of “the guesswork for passengers”, he said.

A fourth passenger screening lane with improved screening technology has been installed, which allows travellers to leave laptops, iPads and other large electronics in their bags.

PHOTOS: Supplied