KEY POINTS:
Passengers onboard a Pacific Blue flight to Christchurch spent 90 minutes waiting on the tarmac at Melbourne Airport while the cabin crew tried to unload 13 passengers yesterday.
A member of the cabin crew was sick which meant, according to safety requirements, 13 passengers had to get off the packed plane.
When no volunteers were forthcoming remaining staff tried to bribe, scare and bully passengers off the 737-800, Melbourne newspaper The Age reported.
Passengers who got off could wait two days for the next flight or fly to Sydney and then Brisbane and then to Christchurch later that day.
Standby passengers were the first to get the boot.
One was warned "if you're hiding, we'll track you down".
A free flight was then offered to anyone who volunteered to leave.
The last people to board were singled out and kicked off, one couple managed to stay on board after announcing they were on their way to a wedding.
At one point the pilot threatened to take everyone off the plane and fly to Christchurch with an empty plane.
Nearly two hours, and 13 passengers, later the flight finally took off.
Pacific Blue spokesman Phil Boeyen told The Press the flight would have been cancelled if enough passengers had not got off.
"The main thing for us is safety."
It was not possible to find a replacement crew member, he said.
Pacific Blue had not received any complaints.
- NZPA
