Air NZ's Eagle Air fleet to resume operations

An Air New Zealand Beech 1900D aircraft. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Eagle Air will resume operation tomorrow morning following the completion of a precautionary fleet inspection tonight.

Air New Zealand cancelled Eagle Air services this afternoon after a small hairline crack was found in the tail area of an aircraft undergoing routine maintenance.

"We sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience, however, safety is paramount and non-negotiable and we have deliberately chosen to take the conservative approach of completing a one-off inspection of the whole fleet,'' said Eagle Air General Manager Carrie Hurihanganui.

The airline will tomorrow operate services using four aircraft that have been inspected and fully cleared to return to service after meeting all operational standards.

Eagle Air will consult with the aircraft manufacturer to seek advice about any further maintenance work that may be required on the remainder of the fleet.

Other aircraft from across the Air New Zealand fleet will support Eagle Air tomorrow in order to minimise disruption.

It is estimated that around 1,000 Eagle Air passengers may be inconvenienced by schedule changes, Air NZ said in a statement.

Customers whose flights have been cancelled will be contacted where possible and alternative arrangements made free of any change fees.

Passengers booked to travel on Eagle Air flights (NZ2000 series flight numbers) up to and including Tuesday 14 August can choose to switch to another Air New Zealand flight on the same route, apply the fare to another destination, or choose to have the fare held in credit.

A full refund is available where none of these options meets the customer's needs, the statement said.

Customers are advised to check flight arrivals and departures on Air New Zealand's website www.airnewzealand.co.nz for the most up to date schedules.