Air NZ CEO Greg Foran speaks with Ryan Bridge on Herald NOW after Air India crash
Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran says he’s “very comfortable” with the quality of his airline’s operations after a devastating Air India crash that killed more than 200 passengers.
Foran spoke to Ryan Bridge on Herald NOW, confirming he was not aware of any connecting Air NZ passengers beingon the plane.
The Air India flight AI171 was leaving Ahmedabad Airport in western India for London carrying 242 passengers when it crashed shortly after takeoff about lunchtime yesterday (local time).
The aircraft was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, of which Air New Zealand has 14 in operation.
“We’re very comfortable with the quality of our operations,” Foran told Bridge.
He said it was too early to say what happened in India.
“My heart goes out to everyone. It’s just really tragic … it’s sort of one of these events that, as an airline, it’s the last thing you want to see happening.
“When news of this came in last night, the Air New Zealand team kicked in to ensure [whether] we had any Air New Zealand passengers, connecting passengers, on board.”
Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran. Photo / Michael Craig
He said he felt for everyone at the Air India organisation.
Foran, who was with Air India’s chief executive, Christchurch-born Campbell Wilson, last week in Delhi, said he had been in touch with him to offer Air NZ’s support.
Wilson has been CEO of Air India since June 2022.
In a video address, Wilson said: “I would like to express our deep sorrow about this event … we are actively working with authorities on all emergency response efforts.
“This is a difficult day for all of us here in India.”
New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said last night that it had no reason to believe any New Zealanders were on the flight.
Air India said the passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. A British man is the sole survivor of the crash.
The Washington Post reported that the crash was the first involving Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, a fuel-efficient jet introduced in2011as the future of long-distance travel.
Boeing calls the plane the bestselling large airliner in history, crediting it with opening hundreds of new routes around the globe.
