The Singapore Airlines jumbo jet which hit its tail on the runway as it took off from Auckland in March has been repaired and has returned to Singapore.
The tail of the Boeing 747 dragged on the runway for several metres as it took off with 368 passengers and 20 crew
on March 12.
The impact badly damaged the tail section and the captain declared an emergency before the jet landed about 20 minutes later with a full turn out of emergency vehicles at Auckland.
The airline said it was flown back to Singapore without passengers or cargo but had not returned to service because of the global downturn in air travel following the September 11 terrorist attacks in America in 2001 and the impact of the Sars virus on air travel.
The airline would not reveal the cost of repairs but industry sources said in February it would be millions of dollars.
The incident is still being investigated the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC).
TAIC investigator Ken Mathews said the damage was "quite extensive" but the results of the inquiry would not be known until later this year -- probably November.
The airline said it was also holding its own inquiry.
The captain and technical crew who were flying the aircraft were still off flying duties until the outcome of the inquiries was known, the airline said.
- NZPA
