Air New Zealand Flight Returns Mid-Air to Canada Amid ‘Spoiler’ Issues

The airline has recently been named the safest in the world ahead of Qantas and Virgin.

An Air New Zealand plane is seen during game two of the Women's ODI series between New Zealand and Pakistan at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand on Dec. 15, 2023. Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

An Air New Zealand flight, travelling from Auckland to Canada, was sent back to the terminal mid-air after an issue was discovered during the flight.

The flight crew identified a problem with the spoilers of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, about 90 minutes into the flight, sending it back to Auckland for a maintenance check.

Spoilers are panels found on the wings of the plane that can help the pilot control the speed of the plane, including slowing down on descent to the ground.

Air New Zealand’s chief safety officer Captain David Morgan confirmed the discovery of “an issue with one of the aircraft’s flight spoilers” during the journey.

“The aircraft returned to Auckland and our maintenance teams inspected and rectified the issue allowing the aircraft to re-depart,” he told Stuff.

“The safety of our customers and crew is our biggest priority and our pilots are highly trained for these scenarios.”

Mr. Morgan explained the plane was prepared for take off soon after the maintenance team inspection and safely departed for Vancouver.

“We thank customers for their patience while we worked to get them where they needed to be,” he said.

According to Flight Aware, the flight arrived safely at Vancouver International Airport’s Terminal M at 12.34pm on Jan. 7.

World’s Safest Airline for 2024

Recently named as the world’s safest airline for 2024 by airlinesratings.com, Air New Zealand edged ahead of two major Australian airlines and multiple U.S. companies.

The airline secured the rating by a slim margin of 1.5 points ahead of Qantas, after the Australian airline took out the top honours in 2023.

The airline’s safety reputation is attributed to its operation in demanding weather conditions.

“The airline operates in some of the most challenging weather environments which test pilot skills,” AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas said.

“For instance, Wellington is one of the most windy airports in the world, while Queenstown is a huge navigation challenge.”

Virgin Australia came in third place among the top 25 airlines, followed by Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, Finnair, Cathay Pacific, and Alaska Airlines.

American Airlines, United Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines were also named among the top 25 airlines in the world.

An Air New Zealand passenger aircraft in front of a landing Qantas Airways plane at Sydney's Kingsford Smith International Airport on Dec. 6, 2023. New Zealand's national carrier said on Dec. 6 that it aims to become the first airline to fly an electric plane after announcing plans to have a battery-powered aircraft join its fleet in 2026. David Gray/AFP via Getty Images

Air New Zealand is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) and is currently trading at 60 cents per share, up 0.84 percent on Jan. 8.

In a recent investor update (pdf), the company advised it expects first-half earnings for the 2024 financial year to be at the lower end of a $180 million (US$121 million) to $230 million guidance provided in October.

This updated guidance includes $45 million worth of COVID credits that the airline believes are “highly unlikely” to be redeemed by the extended expiry date.

Demand For North America Travel High

The airline noted demand for travel to North America continues to be solid, but there are signs of pricing pressure due to increased competition from American companies.

There was also sluggishness in the demand for domestic travel.

“Early signs of softness in domestic travel, particularly corporate and government travel, which were noted in the October update have continued, with late booking activity remaining weaker compared to the prior year,” the airline said.

More recently, the airline has noted softer leisure demand in both the Domestic and Trans-Tasman markets while Asia and Pacific Islands demand remains unchanged.

The airline reported a 6.5 percent increase in passengers carried in the 2024 financial year to date, and a 40.6 percent increase in revenue passenger kilometres.

Electric Plane to Fly in 2026

In a notable development, the airline recently bought an electric aircraft that will join its fleet by 2026.

The plane is the company’s first next-generation plane, designed by electric aerospace company BETA Technologies.

Air New Zealand chief executive officer Greg Foran said “decarbonising aviation isn’t easy,” adding the airline has a lot of work to do.

“We need to accelerate the pace of change in the technology, infrastructure, operations, and regulation,” Mr. Foran said.

“While this aircraft will add to, not replace our existing fleet, it is a catalyst for that change.”

By flying the electric aircraft, he said they hoped to advance their knowledge and the transformation needed in the aviation system in Aotearoa to fly larger, fleet-replacing, next-generation aircraft from 2030.

“This is a small but important step in a much larger journey for Air New Zealand. There is a lot of work ahead of us, but we are incredibly committed, and this purchase marks a new chapter for the airline,” he said.