KEY POINTS:
The airline captain wounded in a alleged attempted hijacking is unsure if he will return to work.
The pilot, who cannot be named because of a court suppression order, received serious knife wounds to his hands during the incident on a flight from Blenheim to Christchurch on February 8.
He told a Sunday newspaper today the flight played on his mind "a little bit."
"It's more what's happened since then with all the media interest and the ACC and ongoing stuff. I'm not really sure at this stage when I will go back to work, it's going to be another wee while yet."
His co-pilot had returned to work and they had talked about the incident over a beer.
The pilots work for Air National, which was contracted to Air New Zealand for the flight.
The pilot was grateful for the support he had received.
"I got a couple of cards from the passengers.
"Air New Zealand, Air National and the pilots' union has been fantastic," he said.
Asha Ali Abdille, a 33-year-old Somali, was last week remanded in custody until April 16 after she appeared in Christchurch District Court.
Abdille is charged with stabbing three people including the pilot on the Eagle Air flight from Blenheim to Christchurch on February 8 and with attempting to seize control of the aircraft by force.
She has entered no pleas.
A psychiatric report has already been prepared on her, and the defence has been given time to get a second opinion on its findings.
- NZPA
