Summary

  • NZ PM takes commercial flight after plane breakdown
  • Technical issues turned brief stop into overnight stay
  • Aging Boeing 757s pose reliability concerns

The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) had an embarrassing mishap as the Boeing 757 carrying the Prime Minister broke down on the way to Japan. Stranded, the New Zealand Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, had to book a commercial flight to Japan after the Boeing 757-2K2 broke down in Papua New Guinea. New Zealand only has a small air force and has been low on the government’s spending priorities for many years.

NZ PM takes commercial flight – again

The PM departed New Zealand on June 16 for a four-day trip to Japan to promote business and meet the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The incident happened during a refueling stop at the Port Moresby Jackson International Airport in Papua New Guinea. There, Luxon also met with the Papua New Guinean Prime Minister.

Royal New Zealand Air Force 757

Apparently, technical issues turned the refueling stop into an overnight stop. The New Zealand PM then booked a commercial flight to Japan via Hong Kong. The Boeing-757 (registered NZ7571) was also carrying around 52 business leaders and reporters. Fortunately, the Air New Zealand Chief Executive, Greg Foran, was among the stranded delegation and reportedly helped to make the alternative travel arrangements with Air New Zealand.

The next day, the delegation flew to Brisbane, where they were picked up by an Air New Zealand flight that took them to Japan. Reportedly, it was a regular commercial flight with paying passengers.

“Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran, who was one of the stranded 52 business leaders and reporters, decided to divert an Auckland to Tokyo flight via Brisbane to pick everyone up.” Sky News Australia

Royal New Zealand Air Force Boeing 757 lands at Phoenix Airfield

Photo: Colin Harnish l Shutterstock

According to reporting by the NZ Herald, the New Zealand Defence Force stated that the Boeing 757 blew a fuse and then blew another one after it was replaced. New Zealand Minister of Defence Judith Collins called the incident embarrassing and said breakdowns could see the New Zealand PM travel commercially from now on.

Related

How The New Zealand Air Force Puts Its Boeing P-8 Poseidons To Work

The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) is small, but they make the most their small size. The P-8 Poseidon exemplifies this.

New Zealand’s aging Boeing 757s

The RNZAF operates two Boeing 757-200s (both received in 2003). They received modifications in 2007 and are also used to fly heavy cargo. As a quirk of statistics, half the New Zealand Boeing 757 broke down while flying the New Zealand PM to Japan.

“Our Boeing aircraft provide strategic airlift to carry personnel and equipment globally in support of operations and deployments. The aircraft are also used regularly for the carriage of VIPs as well as ministerial and trade missions around the world.” – NZ Defence Force

New Zealand could purchase new aircraft, but New Zealanders are somewhat loath to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on what is effectively VIP transport for their PM. The aircraft are aging and becoming unreliable; in March, a hitch with the landing gear also forced the New Zealand Prime Minister to take a commercial flight to attend the ASEAN summit in Melbourne.

The New Zealand Air Force does not have a strike wing (it lacks fighter jets). Instead, the air force has four new P-8A Poseidons, some T-6C Texan II trainers, five C-130 Hercules, and a number of helicopters.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *