A memorial trip to the crash site of the 1979 Mt Erebus air disaster has been postponed tonight after strong winds prevented helicopters from landing.

The Govt will look into a way to allow the families of those killed in the Erebus disaster to visit the crash site, John Key says.

Family and friends of the victims of the Erebus disaster will now have the chance to go to Antarctica thanks to businessman Mike Pero.

"Don't worry about work ... just have a great day," were Denis Adlam's last words to dad Neville before his fatal gyrocopter crash.

The families of those who died when Air NZ Flight 901 plunged into Mt Erebus received an average pay-out of only $100,000 - and were sworn to secrecy.

A glider pilot killed in an accident south of Auckland yesterday may have hit power lines.

Margaret Modricker, who lost her mother in the 1979 disaster, says today's apology should have been done decades ago.

Air New Zealand has apologised to the families of those killed in the 1979 Mt Erebus crash for the first time.

Air New Zealand has acknowledged the "gaps and failings" after the Erebus tragedy 30 years ago.

The Erebus tragedy would never have happened if a Civil Aviation inspector, scheduled to be on board that day, had made the flight, an expert says.

The man who apologised over the Cave Creek disaster says Air NZ should have apologised for the Erebus air crash years ago.