Air New Zealand CEO Diverts Flight So It Can Pick Him Up, Then Serves Drinks – View from the Wing

Air New Zealands CEO Greg Foran may have violated his flight attendant union contract scope clause by taking over cabin crew duties to serve drinks to passengers on a flight from Auckland to Tokyo. (I kid, I kid.)

He was trying to make up for having the flight diverted to pick him up, along with a New Zealand trade delegation of 30 business leaders, government officials, and media.

Is anyone else thinking the same as me. What happens when it breaks down mid air? Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran serves drinks on plane to Japan as apology after flight diverted to pick up trade delegation https://t.co/KkCD5UIYUZ

Mark_Iramutu (@mark_iramutu) June 17, 2024

The group had been enroute to Tokyo on a New Zealand military 757 which requires a refueling stop enroute. While on the ground in Papua New Guinea, the aircraft blew two fuses that restricted flying to low altitudes.

The countrys Prime Minister caught a commercial flight to Hong Kong, connecting to Tokyo, while everyone else waited overnight. The next day the military 757 flew at low altitude about 1,300 miles from Port Moresby to Brisbane.

The New Zealand defence force plane flying the country's prime minister suffered an "embarrassing" mishap after it broke down on the way to Japan

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https://t.co/NrZgONWSfP

Sky News (@SkyNews) June 17, 2024

Thats where CEO Foran had New Zealand flight 99 from Auckland to Tokyo Narita divert to pick up his party. Once on board the Boeing 787, he announced an apology to passengers for their unexpected stop. He and the companys board chair helped out with the drink cart. And they sat in economy. He offered,

It just happened to be that things worked out. Its added about two hours on to peoples trip so theyll get in a couple of hours later into Narita than they normally would, and we just happened to have enough seats on the plane.

His statement, however, did not offer compensation to the passengers on Air New Zealand flight 99.

(HT: Paddle Your Own Kanoo)

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Air New Zealand CEO Diverts Flight So It Can Pick Him Up, Then Serves Drinks - View from the Wing