Typhoon disrupts Air NZ flights

Air New Zealand is on typhoon watch in Japan with a flight from Tokyo cancelled today and a warning that further services could be disrupted.

The airline, already grappling with fallout from Dreamliner engine problems, cancelled a flight to Tokyo’s Narita Airport yesterday because of Typhoon Shanshan. It meant the aircraft was unavailable for the return journey.

The storm was packing winds of up to 180kph yesterday, forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights by other airlines. On its travel alert page the Air New Zealand said due to the nature of Typhoon Shanshan, its Tokyo services, as well as onward travel from the area could be further disrupted at any point. Customers were able to defer their travel to another flight up to Wednesday of next week in the same class of travel without fare difference or penalty.

It says it will not be liable for costs associated with disrupted travel if passengers choose to travel as planned.

“Any incidental and associated costs such as accommodation and/or meals are not the responsibility of Air New Zealand, and you will need to refer to your travel insurance policy.”

Last week a Shanghai flight was also under typhoon alert and Dreamliner engine issues have led to the cancellation of two Auckland-Los Angeles flights next month and some Nadi flights through to the end of October.

Dozens of flights over the next three months have also been rescheduled and different aircraft used on long haul routes as the airline works to minimise disruption which has plagued it since last December when Rolls-Royce engine problems came to light.

The airline’s own Boeing 777 aircraft and two leased planes have been put on to routes normally flown by some 787 Dreamliners. Some of the aircraft with the affected Trent 1000 Package C engines have, over the last nine months, been taken out of service for repairs and there have been restrictions on how far they can fly from the closest diversion airport.