A ‘severe medical incident’ involving an airport staff member triggered widespread disruption at Auckland Airport in New Zealand, with passengers on affected flights forced to remain onboard
A “severe medical incident” involving an airport staff member caused widespread disruption, grounding flights at Auckland Airport in New Zealand.
The emergency unfolded around 11am local time, equivalent to midnight UK time, as emergency services rushed to aid the worker on the airport tarmac. Due to the severity of the situation, airport operations were temporarily halted, impacting both incoming and outgoing flights.
An airport spokesperson revealed the medical event involved one of their own team members, leading to an immediate halt of luggage and vehicle movements on the airfield. This safety measure resulted in the delay of at least two domestic flights, including one bound for New Zealand’s South Island.
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Passengers on affected flights were instructed to remain seated on board for roughly an hour before they were permitted to disembark, according to The New Zealand Herald. The seriousness of the injury meant the worker could not be swiftly moved from the scene.
Hato Hone St John emergency services confirmed they were alerted to the incident at 11.02am. An ambulance was dispatched, and the patient was taken to Middlemore Hospital in moderate condition.
Auckland Airport, which first threw open its doors 59 years ago, is New Zealand’s largest and busiest airport. It serves as the main hub for Air New Zealand and is a significant base for other international carriers such as Qantas and Emirates.
The airport stands out as one of only two in the country equipped to handle large aircraft, including the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380. It also boasts a four-star rating for its facilities and offers services such as the round-the-clock SkyBus connection to the city centre.
It comes after a disabled mum said she was told to “hurry up” as she struggled across Birmingham Airport’s tarmac after staff refused to let her wheelchair on board – an ordeal she has described as the “most humiliating experience” of her life.
Dr Jo Winter, from Moseley, was travelling to Copenhagen with her daughter Sally on July 7 for a seven-day trip. Jo, who underwent chemotherapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) in January that left her housebound for months, had bought a £1,700 travel wheelchair to help manage her severe fatigue.
Other passengers queuing on the stairs were said to have witnessed staff tagging the chair, before another worker later removed the tag, insisting it could not be taken on the “full” Scandinavian Airlines System flight (SAS). Jo claims she broke down in tears before being forced to walk across the tarmac and up the aircraft steps without her wheelchair.
Jo was told the chair would remain at Birmingham Airport and that her husband would be contacted to collect it, but this did not happen. Instead, an “apologetic” SAS manager in Copenhagen arranged for it to be flown over and delivered to her hotel the following day. Until then, Jo says she had to spend extra on taxis to get around.