An Air New Zealand pilot has been stood down from flying for two days and he and the airline have apologised to Prime Minister Helen Clark four times after she took issue with comments he made to a planeload of passengers.
The pilot announced over the plane's intercom that the flight was delayed because Helen Clark had decided to take a private jet and her luggage had to be removed.
"So much for supporting the national airline, eh?" he said.
The Prime Minister, who did take the Air New Zealand flight, was so stunned when she learned about the pilot's "distressing" remarks that she entered the cockpit to complain.
Air New Zealand has apologised to Helen Clark four times for yesterday morning's incident, which happened at the beginning of a flight from Wellington to Christchurch.
