Flight delay leaves passengers grumpy

The Malasian Airlines flight. Photo / Supplied

Disgruntled passengers booked on a Malaysia Airlines flight from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur experienced more than 24 hours of delays due to "technical issues" with their jet.

Ramesh Koney, whose family were affected, claimed security staff stood guard at the Malaysia Airlines counter at the airport threatening people with a trespass order if they approached to ask for information.

Mr Koney's wife, Sivaranjama Koney, mother-in-law and two children, aged 3 months and 5 years old, were booked on MH130, which was scheduled to leave at 2.15pm on Thursday.

He said that when their flight was first delayed, they were told to go home and return in the evening.

They did, but the flight was delayed several more times that night, and in the early hours of yesterday morning it was cancelled and the passengers were sent home once again.

Malaysia Airlines provided refreshments and taxi vouchers for the return journey.

Yesterday evening, Mr Koney was once again at the airport hoping to get his family, who are travelling to India, on flight.

MH132, which was due to leave for Kuala Lumpur at 1.15am today.

A staff member at Malaysia Airlines' call centre confirmed to the Herald that flight MH130 had been delayed but did not know why.

A spokeswoman for the company told the newspaper, "I can't speak to you," before hanging up.

A second attempt to call the airline was met with the spokeswoman saying "there has been no authorisation to talk to the media".

Minutes after the Herald called, a Malaysia Airlines manager visited the 40 or so delayed passengers at Auckland Airport, apologised to them and gave an assurance that they would all be on board the 1.15am flight to Kuala Lumpur. The manager asked them not to contact the media again.