Ms Kilpatrick spoke through tears as she told Judge Perkins how she was concerned for her father's health when she was accused of serious misconduct on the NZ19 flight.
She said she had been "detained" after the return leg of an Auckland-Rarotonga-Auckland flight on March 6, 2012 as managers attempted to conduct a performance review.
She was held back in the plane while a performance review was undertaken, in which she was scored the worst possible score.
Air New Zealand claimed Ms Kilpatrick failed to act with integrity and respect for others by acting in an aggressive and disrespectful manner on board the flight, including shouting at a co-worker in the vicinity of passengers.
Her behaviour was so worrying on board flight NZ19 from Rarotonga the captain considered standing her down because she was compromising safety.
Ms Kilpatrick said in court today that after the "detainment" she felt "unrepresented, isolated, distressed".
"Ultimately it was a meeting that was detrimental to her health, employment and finance," Ms Kilpatrick said, referring to herself in the third person.
"Ms Kilpatrick replied to every communication sent to her in writing ... to try to illuminate the employment matters ... related to detainment to help both parties," she said in her submissions.
Following the flight, she provided a letter from her GP and took a period of sick leave.
She refused to participate in a clearance examination with an Air New Zealand appointed doctor, and after failing to show for work for 14 days she went on leave without pay and was dismissed.
Ms Kilpatrick made claims for penalties from Air New Zealand in her closing submissions, and also raised allegations that she was not properly rested before the Auckland-Rarotonga-Auckland flight that weren't backed up by evidence provided to the court.
In response, Air New Zealand counsel David France said closing submissions were an inappropriate time to make claims for penalties.
Judge Perkins agreed with Mr France.
Mr France said Ms Kilpatrick's account of events leading to her dismissal showed the "disdain she had for management ... and mistrust she has for the company".
He said there had been misunderstanding around the meeting with the Air New Zealand doctor, and Ms Kilpatrick did not understand the meeting would be for "clearance", rather than a "medical examination".
Air New Zealand was never aware of the illness and subsequent death of Ms Kilpatrick's father, and Ms Kilpatrick agreed she never told the company of her grief.
Mr France disputed the former staffer was detained and said the review she was asked to undertake onboard the plane after the flight was normally a five-minute process.
That timeframe was stretched by her histrionics, he said.
Witnesses said they had "never seen a crew member so out of control".
"This type of behaviour has never been seen before," Mr France said.
"It's not inconsequential, it's not trivial; these are serious isssues."
He challenged all Ms Kilpatrick's allegations but said if she was successful in swaying the judge reinstatment was "simply not practical and not reasonable".
Ms Kilpatrick will respond to his submissions tomorrow.
DISPUTE:Arising from an Auckland-Rarotonga-Auckland flight in March 2012.
Jennifer Kilpatrick claims:
- Air New Zealand managers "unlawfully detained" her on board the plane after it had landed at Auckland, and prevented her from leaving.
- Forced her to listen to a performance review which was "inaccurate", and abusive.
- That managers were dismissive of her claims that she felt unwell during that meeting.
- That her flight services manager Michelle Coyle did not invite her to a crew dinner and drinks in Rarotonga during the layover period, and discussed her with the captain of the plane during that dinner.
- There were safety issues on the Rarotonga to Auckland flight on March 6 concerning Ms Coyle and another manager on board the plane, which she raised with the captain.
- That Ms Coyle broke procedure to use a satellite phone to call Air NZ senior staff to meet the plane on landing, when the phone is usually reserved for emergencies only.
- That she had been forced to work the Auckland-Rarotonga-Auckland route despite only recently returning from Papeete, Tahiti, and not being given the appropriate rest time between long-haul flights.
- She had been cleared to work on April 17 by her own doctor..
Air NZ claims:
- Ms Kilpatrick failed to act with integrity and respect for others by acting in an aggressive and disrespectful manner on board the flight, including shouting in the vicinity of passengers.
- Her behaviour was so worrying on board flight NZ19 from Rarotonga the captain considered standing her down because she was compromising safety.
- Ms Kilpatrick was disruptive and uncooperative when they tried to provide her performance feedback, which is standard for every flight attendant following a flight.
- Refused to see an Air NZ-appointed doctor to confirm her stress-related sick leave, or to clear her for work.- Worked an Auckland to San Francisco flight when she was not cleared to work.
