Air NZ Erebus memorial 'publicity stunt'

Memorial to the more than 250 New Zealanders who lost their lives on the slopes of Mt Erebus. File photo / Graeme Tod

The father of a Christchurch man who died in the Mt Erebus disaster says a plan to fly victims' families back to the site is a publicity stunt.

Alister Preston's 19-year-old son Robert was one of the 257 on board the doomed Air New Zealand flight to Antarctica when it crashed on November 28, 1979.

Air New Zealand is proposing to fly three next of kin of the victims to the crash site to mark the 30th anniversary of the accident.

Those wanting to go would be drawn from a random ballot.

Mr Preston heard about the proposal yesterday.

He said he was against this type of commemoration for the tragedy.

"They all make a great fuss and hoohah every year and I wonder how much is publicity rather than feeling for the families of those lost every year," he said.

"There's thousands and thousands of people in the same position who have lost family members in accidents, it was just that this was so spectacular that it has never been allowed to rest. That's what is the difficult part about it."

But not everyone feels the same.

Inspector Stuart Leighton, who was a member of the Disaster Victim Identification operation team following the crash, thought the idea was "excellent".

"It would be upsetting and rewarding at the same time," he said.

It is a well-known phenomenon that going to the actual site can be a very important part of the healing process, said Mr Leighton.

However, he said it was a pity more seats were not available so other families who lost loved ones could go.

Air New Zealand deputy chief executive officer Norm Thompson said the remaining two of the five seats would be allocated to representatives of the cabin and flight crew who perished in the disaster.

He said they were inviting feedback from the families of those who perished on whether they thought the proposal was appropriate.

They are also proposing to place personal messages for the victims in a capsule near the crash site.

Mr Preston said his main concern about the proposal was that it prolonged the pain for some families who lost loved ones.

"I think the amount of publicity made of it is only hurting the families involved more," he said.

"There's a memorial made at Scott Base for the accident and to me that's enough."

With each year that goes by the anniversary never gets any easier, Mr Preston said.

Feedback on Air New Zealand's proposal closes on October 7.