While lightning doesn't usually strike twice in the same place, that can't be said for a group of Rotorua Intermediate pupils who suffered plane engine troubles three times while on a trip of a lifetime to Europe.

The pupils, along with family and staff, have spent two weeks in Europe, visiting historic places visited by the 28th Maori Battalion.

The group had trouble with their Cathay Pacific flights. Photo: File.

When the group left New Zealand, their Cathay Pacific flight scheduled to leave Auckland for Hong Kong aborted it's take off twice after flight crew picked up on an issue with one of the engines.

But if the travellers thought that was the end their travel woes, they were mistaken.

Rotorua Intermediate staff member Jodi Hepburn posted on Facebook today to describe how the group were on their Cathay Pacific flight ready to return home when they were asked to disembark after engine troubles, making it the third time they group have been through this type of experience.

'Okay totally unimpressed!” reads the post. 'After our Cathay Pacific flight to Italy involved emergency braking on the runway, two failed attempts to take off and put up in a hotel before leaving on a different airline.

'Today after two weeks holiday we are set to fly home and four hours later, stuck on our plane, put into darkness while [the crew] power down we have yet another broken plane. Engineers have been trying to fix and cannot so we are about to hop off.

'Really not doing much for our trust in this airline, nerves, a few tears. Very glad however both times that these issues were discovered before we got into the air.”

Jodi says they were delayed for about six hours before the boarded a new plane departed.

When the group suffered their first unfortunate experience two weeks ago, Te Waiariki Purea Trust manager John Merito told SunLive there were 42 pupils, family members and staff on board the flight including his wife, daughter, son in-law and two grandchildren.

He says a lot of the pupils were nervous and upset.

'There were some real genuine concerns because they were on the plain and it came to a screeching halt and then they were on the plain again,” says John.

'There were some who were scared of flying before the trip. It's just a terrible trauma that was happening to them. I don't think from a wairua (spiritual) point of view they were meant to fly.”

The group are expected back in New Zealand later today.