Unexpected visitors

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32637, 19 June 1971, Page 1

Unexpected visitors

Ope hundred and seven passengers on an Air New Zealand DCB paid an unexpected visit to Christchurch yesterday when their jet, on a flight from Los Angeles, via Honolulu, was unable to land at Auckland Airport because of fog.

It Was planned that the aircraft leave Christchurch on a second attempt to reach its destination last evening—but fog again kept Auckland closed, and so the passengers had to be accommodated at Christchurch hotels. The plane is expected to leave for Auckland this morning. The DCB’s passengers had the choice yesterday of spending the day at the airport or of taking a sightseeing tour of Christchurch ar-

ranged by Air New Zealand which also had to provide them with morning tea, lunch, and dinner. The DCB originally circled for an hour over New Plymouth, in the hope that the fog would lift over Auckland, before coming on to Christchurch, where it landed at 9.40 a.m.

Auckland Airport remained closed until about 1.30 p.m. but because the National Airways Corporation had no aircraft positioned there, the replacement crew for the DCS was unable to reach Christchurch before 5.40 pjn. An N.A.C. Boeing 737 left Christchurch for Auckland at 10.5 a.m. but as Auckland Airport was closed the plane bad to return to Christchurch, where it landed at 1.10 p.m. It was unable to divert to Wellington, which had more than enoush traffic to handle

in coping with' the Welling-ton-Auckland planes forced to return. Auckland bound passengers from the 737 were rebooked on a chartered Air New Zealand Electra which left Christchurch at 7.15 pjn. Although Auckland was marginal, it was able to get away because it had an alternative airport at Wellington if unable to land at Auckland. The first and second legs of another Boeing 737 flight —from Auckland to Christchurch via Wellington—had to be cancelled yesterday, although a 737 at Christchurch flew the third leg of the journey from Christchurch to Dunedin, and return. Loadings on N.A.C. planes into Christchurch today are light, considering the British Isles Rugby match against Canterbury at Lancaster Park.