On June 16, 2024, a domestic flight from Wellington to Queenstown experienced turbulent scenes in which two people were injured. The Air New Zealand flight, NZ607, an Airbus A320-200 with the registration ZK-OXH, encountered turbulence during beverage service.
One passenger was injured when a hot coffee pot broke and scalded her as the plane suddenly descended. A crew member hit the cabin ceiling during turbulence. Both injured people were taken to the Lakes District Hospital after landing in Queenstown, the New Zealand Herald reports.
The incident occurred during the flight, which departed Wellington at 14:02 p.m. and landed in Queenstown as scheduled at 15:12 p.m. Eyewitnesses reported severe turbulence that caused the aircraft to rock like a roller coaster. After the incident, no further beverage service was provided.
Captain David Morgan, Air New Zealand's Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer, confirmed the incident and stressed that passenger safety was ensured at all times. The incident comes in the context of a series of turbulences in aviation, including a fatal incident on a Singapore Airlines flight in May 2024.
Experts warn of increasing turbulence due to global warming and recommend that passengers always remain buckled up during the flight.