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Air New Zealand has successfully returned a Boeing 777-300ER to its home base in Auckland after the aircraft sustained damage during an incident in Brisbane, Australia. The aircraft was involved in a collision with a jetbridge on May 22, which resulted in a small hole just below the cockpit windows.
Despite being grounded for three days following the incident, Air New Zealand reported minimal disruptions to its flight schedule as the widebody was already slated for maintenance. On May 25, the damaged aircraft, registered as ZK-OKN, departed from Brisbane Airport on flight NZ6000 and flew back to Auckland at an altitude of around or below 9,000 feet without pressurization. This special flight carried no passengers or cargo.
Nathan McGraw, Chief Safety and Risk Officer of Air New Zealand, stated that engineers consulted with Boeing to devise an appropriate repair plan. He confirmed that the return flight across the Tasman Sea was unpressurized due to safety considerations.
