An incident involving two Air New Zealand pilots in the United States has been reported to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The authority is aware of the matter but has not disclosed specific details, citing the airline’s responsibility for employment issues. The CAA has stated it is reviewing all information received to determine whether regulatory action is necessary.
The incident, which occurred off duty, was publicly alleged to involve an altercation between two pilots earlier this month. Air New Zealand’s Chief Safety and Risk Officer, McGraw, confirmed they are investigating the situation and emphasized there was no onboard incident.
As a consequence, flights from San Francisco to Auckland on September 6 and 7 were canceled. Passengers were informed that a replacement pilot was on their way, but due to mandatory rest requirements, the new pilot could not operate immediately.
One passenger, Jason Haskins, stated he was told the delay was due to "staff illness." Despite the disruptions, Haskins noted that he and other passengers were well accommodated by Air New Zealand. The Airline Pilots Association has directed inquiries to the airline for further information.
