AUCKLAND- Air New Zealand (NZ) is investigating an alleged altercation involving 2 off-duty pilots at a layover hotel in San Francisco. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was notified of the matter on September 14.
The airline said the matter involved 2 crew members who were off duty in the United States and confirmed that no incident occurred onboard the aircraft. The investigation comes after Air New Zealand’s September 7 NZ7 service from San Francisco (SFO) to Auckland (AKL) was delayed by more than 14 hours because of pilot sickness.
Air New Zealand Reviews San Francisco Crew Dispute
Air New Zealand has confirmed that it is investigating an alleged altercation between 2 off-duty pilots at a hotel used during their layover in San Francisco.
A former Air New Zealand pilot, speaking anonymously to the NZ Herald, said several pilots currently employed by the airline had told him about the alleged incident.
The former pilot said he understood that the 2 pilots had quarrelled during an Auckland to San Francisco service earlier in September before an alleged confrontation at the layover hotel.
The former pilot said information about the matter had spread “like wildfire” through the Air New Zealand community.
Air New Zealand Chief Safety and Risk Officer Nathan McGraw rejected any suggestion that an incident occurred during a flight.
“We are aware of a matter between two crew members off duty in the United States which is currently being investigated. There was no incident onboard the aircraft,” McGraw said.
The airline has not confirmed the circumstances of the alleged confrontation or provided further details about the individuals involved.
Delayed NZ7 Flight and Replacement Pilot
The alleged hotel incident received attention as Air New Zealand dealt with a major delay to flight NZ7 from San Francisco to Auckland on September 7.
The airline told passengers that the pilot scheduled to operate the flight was unable to do so because of sickness.
“Due to sickness, the pilot scheduled to operate your flight is no longer able to operate your service,” Air New Zealand said in an email to passengers.
The airline said it had arranged a replacement pilot, but that pilot was required to complete mandatory rest before operating the service.
Flight NZ7 was delayed by more than 14 hours. The service was later renumbered NZ6077 and scheduled to depart San Francisco at 12:15 PM on September 8. It was due to arrive in Auckland at 8 PM on September 9.
The airline did not disclose what illness had prevented the original pilot from operating the return service.
Airline Declines Further Comment
Stuff contacted Air New Zealand about the alleged altercation and asked what illness had prevented the pilot from operating the return flight.
The airline responded: “We don’t have anything to add to this one.”
That response left the alleged hotel confrontation and the nature of the pilot’s illness unconfirmed publicly.
Passengers Praise Air New Zealand Staff
Passengers on the delayed service praised Air New Zealand staff for how they handled the disruption.
One traveller said the airline was willing to pay for accommodation at rates above the $250-per-night figure stated in its passenger email.
Another passenger said staff made significant efforts to help travellers because the rescheduled service carried relatively few passengers.
The traveller said there were reportedly only 13 Economy passengers and that staff announced once the aircraft was airborne that Economy passengers could move seats and occupy entire rows when space was available.
The passenger feedback focused on the airline’s handling of the disruption rather than providing independent confirmation of the alleged altercation.
CAA Reviews the Matter
The Civil Aviation Authority said it was notified about the matter on September 14.
A CAA spokesperson said the authority considers information brought to its attention and determines whether regulatory action is required.
The authority declined to comment on assessments or regulatory considerations involving identifiable individuals.
The CAA also said employment matters remain Air New Zealand’s responsibility.
“Air New Zealand is responsible for employment matters relating to its staff, and CAA cannot comment on those matters,” the spokesperson said.
The CAA notification confirms that the regulator is aware of the matter, but it does not establish that the alleged altercation occurred or indicate whether any enforcement action will follow.
The New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association was contacted about the case but said it could not confirm whether the pilots involved were members of the union.
The association referred questions about the matter to Air New Zealand.
No information from the union has established the identity or membership status of either pilot.
Finance Minister Was Not Briefed
Finance Minister Nicola Willis, who is a shareholding minister of Air New Zealand, was not given advance information about the incident.
A spokesperson for Willis said she would not expect to be told about the matter because it was considered an operational issue.
The statement indicates that the matter was not treated as an issue requiring advance notification to the shareholding minister.
Aviation commentator Irene King said altercations between pilots were “extraordinarily rare”.
King said airlines generally take care when pairing crews together and stressed that communication between pilots is critical throughout a flight.
She highlighted the importance of communication and dialogue during all aspects of flight operations, particularly at key points when crew coordination is essential.
King said pilots should not become distracted by interpersonal issues while operating an aircraft.
She said Air New Zealand would be “absolutely horrified” if the allegations were found to have occurred.
“It is not normal for pilots from this carrier or any of the carriers, for that matter, within Australasia to behave in this way,” King said.
King’s comments provide an industry perspective on the seriousness of the allegations, but they do not establish that misconduct occurred in this case.
TAIC Has Not Received Referral
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) said it had not received a referral from the CAA regarding the matter.
Under New Zealand law, the CAA must refer matters involving commercial passenger flights to TAIC, which then considers whether an investigation should take place.
At the time of the reported update, TAIC had not received such a referral.
The absence of a referral does not itself determine the outcome of the Air New Zealand investigation or the CAA’s regulatory assessment.
What Remains Unconfirmed
Air New Zealand has confirmed that it is investigating a matter between two off-duty crew members in the United States and has specifically stated that no incident occurred onboard the aircraft.
The airline has not confirmed the details of the alleged confrontation, the identities of the pilots, whether the alleged dispute occurred as described by the former pilot, or the nature of the illness that caused the scheduled pilot to miss the September 7 return flight.
The CAA has confirmed that it was notified on September 14 and will assess whether regulatory action is required. TAIC has said it had not received a referral from the CAA.
Further conclusions will depend on the airline’s investigation and any subsequent regulatory assessment.
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