An Air New Zealand Airbus A320 has been diverted from Auckland airport to Tauranga airport.
A SunLive reader contacted our office to inform us of the Airbus A320 flight number NZ0644 had landed at the Tauranga airport at 5.11pm this afternoon.
An Air New Zealand Airbus A320. Photo: File.
A spokesperson for Air New Zealand confirmed the plane which was flying from Queenstown to Auckland had been diverted for refuelling and because of bad weather.
She says the flight would resume as soon as the aircraft had been refuelled and the weather had cleared in Auckland.
14 comments
Overit
Posted on 27-01-2016 18:26 | By overit
Good, now we know the runway can handle big planes, can we have Aussie flights from Tga.
@ overit
Posted on 27-01-2016 20:55 | By GreertonCynic
Ha. Would be great for the local economy, but I think there's a few too many retirees in said flight path.
The bigger question MUST be
Posted on 27-01-2016 22:37 | By The Caveman
Why did an Air NZ Airbus 320 from Queenstown to Auckland need to land in Tauranga for refuelling ?? What was wrong with Hamilton? FOG ?? And what was wrong with Rotorua ?? FOG ?? Both have MUCH longer runways. Seems to suggest that the aircraft left Queenstown without a reasonable fuel margin, to allow it to divert to an alternative airport with a reasonable length runway. Assuming that Hamilton and Rotorua had fog problems, where was the aircraft going to go if Tauranga also had fog problems??? Next best runways - Napier or New Plymouth.
Worrying stuff up
Posted on 28-01-2016 09:08 | By maildrop
That doesn't stack up. It's only a 1 hour or so flight and they are supposed to have enough in reserve to divert or wait in a stack for landing. Someone didn't do their sums correctly. Blaming the weather is bull.
New Whakatane Service
Posted on 28-01-2016 09:35 | By Road Ranger
Maybe Air NZ are looking at reinstating the Whakatane service again to compete with Air Chathams great service via Tauranga!!
Everyone is an expert!
Posted on 28-01-2016 11:56 | By chimerajack
Why all the conspiracy theories....
Overit
Posted on 28-01-2016 14:11 | By overit
I suggest Chimerajack read the book written about the demise of Kiwi Airlines operating many years ago to understand the conspiracy theories about AirNZ, and not forgetting the Erebus scandal....
Airport landings
Posted on 28-01-2016 14:39 | By socantor01
For overit. I thought everyone knew the Ewen Wilson story. And he has started up again!
Overit
Posted on 28-01-2016 18:31 | By overit
Yes Ewen has started up again and good luck to him, its a wonder he has any money left to do it. Mind you he is a Councillor now! And really, does everyone know the story-that book had me in tears. A visionary.
Quite Normal
Posted on 29-01-2016 08:23 | By FunandGames
Jet aircraft land in Tauranga often when weather at other destinations doesn't allow. It's been happening for years.
Maildrop
Posted on 30-01-2016 17:43 | By Kenworthlogger
They are not going to fly around and around in circles for six hours waiting for better weather when they can fly one hour to Tauranga and then wait..
jmac
Posted on 01-02-2016 14:48 | By JohnMac
Aussie flights will only drain money from ratepayers as it did in Rotorua which has far greater potential than Tauranga for Aussie flights. Not even a hint of it being viable in Tauranga.
jagman
Posted on 02-02-2016 14:40 | By Roger
Boeing 737s have been here many times. They are same size as A320!
Interesting?
Posted on 03-02-2016 15:00 | By Crash test dummies
So the real reason was that the airline wanted to fool the Hairy airy fairy supporters that a plane load were about to arrive from Europe ... but alas: - Queenstown, didn't leave the plane, never knew (bonus) about it at all.
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