Illness leaves airport jetless

Dunedin Airport was closed to jets last night because no air traffic controller was available after one called in sick.

Jet flights between 7.40 last night and 6.30am today could not fly to or from the airport.

Two 737 flights, carrying 237 passengers from Auckland and Wellington, were due to land at 8.15pm and 9pm but were redirected to Invercargill. Air New Zealand put on buses from there to Dunedin.

Fifty-eight passengers on a Dunedin-to-Christchurch flight were transferred from a 737 to a turbo-prop ATR-72, as Air NZ allows the smaller planes to fly to airports without controllers.

Airways Corporation, which manages air traffic controllers, told Dunedin Airport about 3.45pm about the sick call. Six controllers work at the airport, on sole-charge shifts.

Chief executive John McCall said such a situation would never be allowed to develop in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch. "It's another case where Dunedin gets caught on the end."

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES