‘Intense’ turbulence injures two on Wellington to Queenstown flight

Two people have been injured on an Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to Queenstown during “intense” turbulence. Hato Hone St John said it sent two ambulances to Queenstown Airport at 2.50pm on Sunday, June 16 and took two patients in moderate condition to Lakes District Hospital. A passenger on the flight told local media outlet Crux that the cabin crew were serving drinks when the full coffee pot poured onto a woman. "She received burns and a paramedic attended to her ... she had some blistering,“ the passenger told Crux. The passenger said that a flight attendant had called it “the worst ... turbulence in her career”, adding that it “wasn’t super long but intense”. Air New Zealand chief operational integrity and safety officer Captain David Morgan confirmed to Stuff Travel a customer and crew member were injured during turbulence on NZ607 from Wellington to Queenstown on Sunday. "The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is our number one priority, and our crew are trained to respond to these situations. Our operating procedures outline our onboard response to different levels of turbulence, including detailing when passengers and crew are required to take their seats during the flight. From time to time, clear-air turbulence can occur where rough air is not visible to the flight crew. We’re always reviewing our operating procedures in line with both regulation and international best practice to ensure the safety of our customers and crew is prioritised."<br/>