Machine-gun backfires on air traveller

A man has escaped charges after he joked he was carrying a machine-gun in his carry-on luggage on a flight from Hamilton to Sydney yesterday.

He was actually carrying a trumpet.

The remark was made to a staff member checking boarding passes who asked him what was in his case.

She took the comment seriously and alerted security.

The comment saw the man kicked off the 7.25am Freedom Air flight and given a dressing down by security at Hamilton Airport.

Freedom Air spokesman Mark Street told NZPA the company took a dim view of the man's actions.

"In times like these making flippant comments are taken very seriously and people usually very quickly see the error in their ways."

He said security had x-rayed the bag and seen the trumpet inside.

When the man flies later this week the pilot on the flight will give the man a "second grilling" so he understands the seriousness of his actions.

Mr Street said the man would be "incredibly dumb" to make the same sort of comment a second time.

He said there was a heightened interest over airport security since the hijacking of a plane flying from Blenheim to Christchurch last Friday.

Asha Ali Abdille, from Blenheim, was charged with attempted hijacking, wounding, and injuring with intent to injure.

The Somali refugee who came to New Zealand in 1994 allegedly pulled out a knife on the Air New Zealand flight and demanded to be taken to Australia.

A scuffle developed during which the pilot and co-pilot were injured.

The flight landed safely in Christchurch.

- NZPA