Low passes over air show worries union

Press, 31 January 1986, Page 22

Low passes over air show worries union

PA Auckland Air New Zealand says flights by two of its aircraft during the Palmerston North air show last week were made in complete safety. An airline spokesman said the flights were safe, after an Airline Stewards and Hostesses’ Union spokesman, Mr Graham Clark, said the union was concerned about all lowlevel and sightseeing operations in the wake of the Mount Erebus disaster.

The airline had planned to divert a WellingtonBrisbane flight of its new Boeing 767 to make a lowlevel pass over the air show crowd. But the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport ordered Air New Zealand not to make the flight with fare-paying passengers aboard. Bris-bane-bound passengers were delayed for 90

minutes at Wellington while the empty Boeing 767 flew over the show. An Air New Zealand spokesman, Mr Vem Mitchell, said that delaying the passengers was justified. The passengers were told there would be a delay and that the flight had been rescheduled, Mr Mitchell said.

He said the show flights had been planned carefully, .and had „b.e?n,„ap- ) proved by Civil Aviation authorities.

The controller of airline standards for Civil Aviation, Captain Barry Cranston, said the flights were made under Civil Aviation direction. The airline cabin crew union says it is preparing reports for the Civil Aviation Division on the air show flights. The division is writing a policy covering airline participation in such events.