Flight aborted after mistake

Press, 22 May 1986, Page 4

Flight aborted after mistake

PA Wellington Passengers on an Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to Christchurch spent half an hour in the air without getting any closer to their destination.

After taking off from Wellington last Saturday, passengers were informed 15 minutes into the flight that their aircraft was required for a flight to Hobart, and that they

would be returned to Wellington. “They were just bringing the refreshments round and they even took those back,” said one passenger. On their return to Wellington the passengers were given vouchers for breakfast, and then settled down for a twohour wait for the next flight to Christchurch.

An Air New Zealand

spokesman said yesterday that the reason for the unscheduled return to Wellington was an administrative failure. The aircraft was to have been “reconfigurated” — the term for having its seating rearranged — overnight at Wellington before leaving for Christchurch and then to Hobart. “For some reason this was not done, and it was

not realised until after the aircraft had left for Christchurch. We were left with no choice but to bring it back to carry out the reconfiguration,” he said.

Arrangements for seating and the provision of lifejackets were different on domestic and international flights.

“All we can do in a case like this is say we are sorry,” he said.