Irate passengers of an Air New Zealand flight bound for Whangarei have slammed the national carrier for accepting their bookings but bumping most of them - including an elderly couple - off the plane due to adverse weather conditions.
Seventeen passengers had booked on the Auckland to Whangarei flight on Sunday but only six were allowed to fly as rain, and wind speed and direction at their destination made landing difficult.
The airline announced in July it would start using larger, 50-seat Bombardier Q300 aircraft for some flights to and from Whangarei Airport from August 12, after the Civil Aviation Authority issued new operating requirements at the airport.
Flight restrictions that came into effect on June 1 see passengers kicked off flights in wet weather so that planes can land on the runway.
Beechcraft aircraft now have to land further down the runway, so when it is wet, or there is no headwind, the planes need to have a lighter landing weight in order to stop in time.