It’s just plane embarrassing

IT’S embarrassing when an aircraft is diverted to Cairns Airport in the early hours of the morning in an emergency situation and there is no one on duty able to operate an aerobridge.

The result is a terrible circumstance where ground crew are forced to make do using a set of mobile stairs that were not high enough to reach the cabin door at the rear of the aircraft.

Paramedics were chest-high to the door and then had to reach up and clamber aboard to check on the passenger who was declared dead.

It is understood his body was then removed by the same method to an awaiting funeral director.

The larger Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which is not a common user of the airport, remained on the ground for two hours with passengers and crew still aboard while emergency service officers and ground crew dealt with the situation.

The airport prides itself on being curfew-free which means aircraft can operate 24/7.

The latest arrivals are usually just after midnight and the next aircraft to land or depart is about 4am. It is rare for a plane to arrive at 2.30am.

But that is when the Air NZ jet, en route from Hong Kong to Auckland, had to land because of the emergency.

It is not expected that full services are available all day and all night, but surely there has to be staff for emergencies, especially someone able to operate an important piece of equipment such as an aerobridge.

It was an unpleasant and awkward moment for all involved.

It is is hoped the airport reviews what happened and puts in place new measures to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Nick Dalton Deputy editor