Two passengers were hurt on Sunday afternoon’s Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to Queenstown. During the turbulence on NZ607, one crew member and one passenger were injured.
Following the incident where a crew member collided with the aircraft roof and a passenger was burnt with hot coffee, two ambulances rushed to Queenstown Airport. The two victims were sent to Lakes District Hospital in ‘moderate’ condition, according to a spokeswoman from Hato Hone St. John.
It was the most severe turbulence she had ever encountered, according to one passenger. It was like being on a roller coaster—you start to descend, then you blast back up—the jolting and falling.
According to Captain David Morgan, Air New Zealand’s chief operational integrity and safety officer, the team is prepared to handle these kinds of emergencies, and the safety of both customers and staff members is their first concern.
The operational procedures of Air New Zealand specify the onboard response to varying degrees of turbulence, including the times when personnel and passengers are obliged to settle into their seats. When pilots can’t see turbulent air, a phenomenon known as clear-air turbulence can happen. Their operational processes are regularly reviewed to align with regulations and worldwide best practices, with the utmost priority given to the safety of their customers and crew.
A passenger who was “strapped in” and suffered burns after having a whole pot of hot coffee spilled on her during turbulence claims she was helpless.
Aircraft NZ607 was boarded by a passenger who only wanted to be known as Suze. She wishes Air New Zealand would rethink providing hot beverages on shorter flights and, at the very least, upgrade their coffee pot covers. It is truly an accident waiting to happen.
One of the flight attendants, like some of the passengers, agreed that this was by far the most severe turbulence she had ever encountered.
The crew at Air New Zealand has received specialized training to deal with these kinds of incidents, and the company has protocols outlining the times when everyone must sit down in the event of certain degrees of turbulence.
