2 injured after Air New Zealand flight encounters severe turbulence

A passenger suffered burns after a pot of hot coffee poured onto her, while a crew member reportedly hit the ceiling. PHOTO: UNSPLASH via The Straits Times/Asia News Network

A passenger and a crew member on board an Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to Queenstown were injured after the plane was hit by severe turbulence on June 16.

The passenger suffered burns after a pot of hot coffee on a service trolley spilled on her when turbulence hit Flight NZ607, while the crew member reportedly hit the ceiling.

Radio New Zealand reported that the passenger, who was identified only by her first name Suze, said they were told to expect some bumps on the flight.

READ: What is flight turbulence and why does it happen?

About 15 minutes into the flight, the plane jolted a little during drink service, followed by a “massive jolt”. The trolley moved about in the aisle amid the turbulence and the coffee pot lids came off, spilling hot coffee on the passenger’s abdomen and back.

Ms Suze, who had her seat belt on, described the flight as “really rough”. The frequent flier managed to get a bottle of cold water and poured it on herself. A paramedic who was sitting behind her also attended to her injuries.

Two ambulances were dispatched to Queenstown Airport, reported New Zealand media outlet Crux.

READ: 1 killed, 30 hurt after London-SG flight hit by severe turbulence

Another passenger told Crux that a cabin crew member said she hit the ceiling.

The airline said in a statement to Crux that a customer and a crew member were injured during turbulence on NZ607 from Wellington to Queenstown on Sunday. The statement did not provide details of the injuries.

In a statement to the Herald, Air New Zealand’s chief operational integrity and safety officer, Captain David Morgan, said the crew are trained to respond to these situations.

“From time to time, clear-air turbulence can occur where rough air is not visible to the flight crew. We’re always reviewing our operating procedures in line with both regulation and international best practice to ensure the safety of our customers and crew is prioritized.”

On May 21, one passenger died of a suspected heart attack and dozens were injured after Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 encountered severe turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin.

The flight, which was traveling from London’s Heathrow Airport to Singapore, made an emergency landing at Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The airline has sent out offers of compensation to the passengers, with those who suffered minor injuries being offered US$10,000 (S$13,500).

SIA is in discussions with those who have more serious injuries about compensation offers that would meet their specific circumstances.