Air NZ raises govt ire over war charter
Air NZ raises govt ire over war charter
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Aug 15, 2007 3:19 PM
The government is unimpressed Air New Zealand has been involved in flying Australian troops to Kuwait for military duties in Iraq.
Defence Minister Phil Goff believes at least two charter flights were sent and he says it was done without any knowledge of the government.
He says Air New Zealand may have informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but that information was never passed on.
Goff says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should have briefed both their minister and Cabinet as Iraq is a sensitive policy issue and the practice is not appropriate.
The government holds a majority share in the carrier but Goff concedes that under the Companies Act the government would not have been able to direct Air New Zealand in its business.
Goff says he and other ministers will be registering their disapproval with the national carrier. The Green Party are also demanding clear guidelines to stop state agencies cooperating with the war in Iraq.
Air New Zealand, however, says its decision to fly Australian troops to Kuwait was a business one.
Spokesperson Glen Sowry says the two charter flights to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates were part of an increased focus on charter activity.
He says the new focus has added $18 million to the airlines revenue.