Ex PM removed from Air NZ jet over 'terrorist' joke

Sir Geoffrey Henry. Photo / Supplied

A former Cook Islands Prime Minister was removed from an Air New Zealand flight for joking that he was a terrorist as he boarded the plane.

Sir Geoffrey Henry was travelling to Noumea as president of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee when the incident happened.

Air NZ would not name the passenger removed from the flight on Wednesday, but the Cook Islands News reported that it was Sir Geoffrey.

Mona Blake, daughter of Olympic committee secretary-general Rosie Blake, was shocked to learn of the incident after dropping her mother off at Auckland Airport to be on the same flight as Sir Geoffrey.

She told the Herald last night that her mother went on the flight to Noumea, while Sir Geoffrey remained behind.

Air NZ's Rarotonga manager, David Bridge, told the News that "a passenger due to travel ... made an inappropriate comment about being a terrorist when boarding the aircraft".

"Safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount importance, so the passenger was escorted off the aircraft."

An Auckland Airport police constable was also quoted in the report as saying: "He made a comment to one of the crew members. As a result, the pilot decided that he couldn't fly with him on the plane."

The News said Sir Geoffrey had spoken to the Olympic Committee's senior vice-president, George Paniani, who said he did not offer any explanation for his behaviour.

Cook Islands Ministry of Sport chief executive Ken Buchanan said the Cabinet was upset with Sir Geoffrey's actions.

"They are getting a full report from Air New Zealand, Foreign Affairs and [the Cooks Olympic committee] and will be in a better position to give a comment after that."