Technical hitch

An Air NZ flight bound for Shanghai from Auckland was turned around mid-flight after it was discovered the aircraft did not have permission to land in China. The aircraft left Auckland as scheduled just after 11.45pm on Saturday but passengers were alerted by the pilot 41⁄2 hours later that their plane would be flown back to New Zealand. A passenger, assistant professor at NYU Shanghai Eric Hundman, tweeted details of the incident. An Air NZ spokeswoman confirmed NZ289 returned to Auckland after it was discovered a technicality meant the particular aircraft did not have regulatory authority to land in China. Air NZ said the flight had been rescheduled and would fly to Shanghai last night at 11pm.