A technical glitch in the New Zealand Customs Service took eGates down for travellers at Christchurch Airport on Monday.

The New Zealand Customs Service system that manages passport control experienced intermittent technical issues affecting eGates for both departing and arriving travellers at both Christchurch and Auckland airports.

Customs officers processed travellers manually whenever the eGates go down, so passengers faced longer than usual wait times at passport control.

Travellers were encouraged to check their email or airline app for any updates from their airline on flight delays.

"Our operations and technology teams are working closely with Customs to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, and we thank travellers for their patience and understanding", said a spokesperson for Auckland Airport.

Customs said the issue was resolved mid-morning, but passengers should still expect longer processing times.

Assistant comptroller of air operations Craig Chitty said teams had worked to solve the issue as quickly as possible.

"Additional Customs officers have been deployed to assist arrivals and departures."

Chitty said passengers should continue to follow instructions from airport and customs staff, and expect longer waits for processing.