A man was removed from an Air New Zealand flight at Auckland Airport on Sunday afternoon after allegedly making "concerning remarks" while onboard, prompting a security response and a delayed departure.
Flight NZ5047, scheduled to depart for New Plymouth at 4:05 PM, was still stationed at the domestic terminal when the incident occurred.
According to police, the passenger was believed to be intoxicated and made remarks that raised enough concern for airline staff to involve authorities. “There was no risk to other passengers,” a police spokesperson confirmed.
Air New Zealand’s Chief Safety and Risk Officer, Nathan McGraw, said the man was removed from the flight as a precautionary measure. “A customer was offloaded from flight NZ5047 prior to departure yesterday due to a potential security concern,” McGraw said.
Once the situation was resolved, the flight departed shortly after without further incident.
Police did not disclose the exact nature of the comments or identify the man. While Jetstar confirmed there were no similar reports involving its services, Air New Zealand also declined to say whether the passenger had received a ban, penalty, or warning.
Authorities said the matter was left in the hands of the airline following the man's removal.