Latest Air Force Plane break down highlights Government’s public service cost cutting agenda
Other countries will make fun of New Zealand because of the poor state of the Defence Force plane used to ferry the Prime Minister, an international law expert says.
Christopher Luxon had to book a commercial flight to Japan after the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) plane, a Boeing 757, broke down on Sunday. An Air New Zealand flight between Auckland and Japan diverted to pick up Luxon in Brisbane.
The Air Force plane blew a fuse, a New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) spokesman said. When the fuse was replaced, it blew again. It is the latest incident in a string of breakdowns.
University of Waikato international law professor Al Gillespie told the Herald the plane trouble risked denting the respect New Zealand received on the diplomatic stage, calling it “embarrassing”.
Nothing manages to sum up the idiocy of this Government’s slash and cut campaign than the Air Force Plane breaking down.
Again.
National have slashed public services and slashed public funding and slashed infrastructure and lo and behold, their plane breaks down.
A Government focused on tax breaks and borrowed tax cuts for their rich mates being let down and embarrassed by the public services they are slashing.
Hilarious!
He used to run an airline but couldn’t arrange reliable transport to Japan. Then the first thing he does is leave his mates behind as he is the only one that matters. It was demonstrated by the limo to cross the road some time back what a shallow person he is & this just confirms it.
Piss up in a brewery comes to mind
The plane broke down for Jacinda as well despite the boost to public servants she made.It was used as a bus for her and her family.
Oh dear!…that’s just plain silly!!
And she bought some new ones but she was not to worried about getting around so they were for surveylance work which is more important .As many think Luxon was such a good CEO of air NZ he should be only too pleasesd to travel cattle class on one of their planes .Oh thats right he would have to mix with the bottom dwellers .
Evidence Trev, or are you uncharacteristically just making things up?
2018 family trip 2021 fly to Auckland
2019 broke down
Extended stay for the former PM in Antartica (Oct 22) as the RNZAF C130 Hercules sat on the runway with a broken down engine.
Very immature Trevor.
I thought the plane broke down due to climate change
$2.9 billion would have bought a real good brand new plane .
Get Luxury Luxon a “rock star” style private jet–if he and his donors bloody pay for it!–and he will be able to travel when he likes, even if it is just to holiday in Hawaii.
The thing is military aircraft have wider landing rights just about anywhere, which commercials do not. So…a couple of new, or newer planes may need to be purchased for Defence.
Prime Ministers need to travel, with various hangers on…Security, Ministry staff, business reps etc. The media contingent I am not so sure about, it seems a hangover from pre internet US Presidential Campaigns when there were dedicated aircraft for journalists and camera people.
I can remember sitting next to Muldoon on a local flight when he was PM, and being on a plane to Oz a few rows from then PM Lange. These guys flew cattle class amongst their sheep. No PM needs to ponce about on an airforce aircraft if the national carrier can take you.
Quite happy for him to be stranded in Japan for the rest of his life .
Yeah stranded in Nippon locked in a cage at the Ueno zoo with a couple of big randy pandas
That would be great although I suspect that the Japanese would be able to get rid of him quickly.
Props are far more reliable and eco friendly than jet aircraft, and much kinder on the budget which means more tax cuts for the squeezed middle.
Something like a Piper Cub would be perfect for Luxon, he could probably even fly it himself he is a man of such talent.
Time he stood up and showed what he is really made of.
Luxon should have to fly around on one of the dangerous Air New Zealand 777’s he bought that have a little problem where the fuel tanks are likely to explode.
https://nypost.com/2024/05/22/us-news/boeing-777-plane-fuel-tanks-could-explode-due-to-electrical-flaw/
According to Willis the nine months to 31 March 2024 still showed a small net increase of 3.4 per cent in FTEs since June 2023 to 65,283 FTEs. In other words she needs to slash more public service roles. Typical National. They are just Labour lite.