Air New Zealand cancelled flights in and out of Gisborne on Tuesday as a precaution after Whakaari/White Island spewed volcanic ash into the flight path.

Air NZ chief operational integrity and safety officer Captain David Morgan said six flights were cancelled.

“The safety of our people and our customers is our utmost priority, so we will continue to monitor the movement of the ash over the coming days. We thank customers for their patience while we work through this disruption,” Morgan said.

“Customers travelling today should keep an eye on the Air NZ app or our website for the latest information on their flight.”

Scientists warned increased volcanic gas and ash activity from Whakaari/White Island could continue for weeks or months, after discovering a new active vent last month.

On Monday morning in Auckland, 31 domestic regional flights were cancelled and 25 domestic regional flights were delayed due to a blanket of thick fog over the city.

The volcanic alert level for Whakaari/White Island is 3, according to Geonet, with ongoing minor eruption activity.