Passengers could be left for days without their luggage, after an Air New Zealand flight was stranded at Christchurch Airport (CHC) on Sunday, June 21. The plane was unable to take-off after its landing gear sunk into a muddy shoulder at the side of the airport’s taxiway. The jet was eventually retrieved on Monday, June 22, but there has not yet been any confirmation that passengers have been re-united with their luggage.
Why Was the Plane Stranded?
Air New Zealand Flight NZ582 was scheduled to begin its flight from CHC to Auckland Airport (AKL) at 5:45 a.m. local time.
Shortly before the scheduled take-off however, the Airbus A320-232’s left main landing gear sank into the muddy shoulder at the side of the airport’s taxiway. The shoulder had been left waterlogged by heavy overnight rainfall, and the plane was unable to move, despite attempts at a delayed take-off lasting until 7 a.m. local time.
An anonymous passenger told reporters that the flight’s captain had said that it would:
“take some serious grunt to pull us free, wheels have sunk.”
The passengers were subsequently evacuated, but safety procedures prevented removing luggage from the plane until it had been retrieved from the grass and inspected by airport staff.
No other flights from CHC were reportedly delayed by the incident.
How Have Passengers been Impacted?
When faced with an uncertain wait before being re-united with their luggage, passengers were unable to re-book their flights.
One passenger told a New Zealand based news website that the airline had given them:
“some water and a few snacks and then we’re just waiting for the update.”
Along with a $10 food voucher which he described as “a kick in the guts.”
In a statement issued at 1:40 p.m. on Sunday, Air New Zealand Chief Safety and Risk Officer Nathan McGraw said that the airline:
“thanked everyone onboard for their patience and understanding while we work to get them safely to their destination.”
What was Air New Zealand’s Response?
McGraw had previously said that Air New Zealand were:
“working to put on a new flight to Auckland for impacted customers later this morning.”
But that increasingly looked unlikely as the stranded plane proved difficult to move until the ground dried out.
Once it was confirmed that the plane wouldn’t be moved on Sunday, Air New Zealand emailed passengers to say that they were eligible to claim for “reasonable out of pocket expenses.”
The email stated that:
“Reimbursements will be made based on reasonable, fully itemised tax receipts”
“so please remember to keep all receipts so we can review and process your claim quickly.”
When the plane was eventually moved, early on Monday morning local time, McGraw told frustrated passengers that the airline was:
“focussed this morning on reuniting customers with their bags.”
Currently, there has not yet been any confirmation of whether the passengers have received their luggage, or exactly how much compensation they are entitled to.
Have you ever been stranded at an airport? Do you think Air New Zealand should have handled the stranding differently? Let us know in the comments.
