Inquiry expected to take a month

A Jetstar Airbus A320 at Queenstown Airport. PHOTO: ODT FILES
A Jetstar Airbus A320 at Queenstown Airport. PHOTO: ODT FILES
An investigation into why a Jetstar aircraft was allowed to take off from Queenstown Airport after its 10pm curfew will take a month to complete, the airport says.

General manager of operations and safety Mike Clay said a summary of its findings would be made public.

The investigation, which will have input from Airways New Zealand and Jetstar, will look at why Australia-bound JQ220 was given approval to take off at 10.14pm on Saturday - 14 minutes after the airport's approved operating hours.

Mr Clay said the airport company held ultimate responsibility for authorising commercial airliners to take off.

Frankton Community Association chairman Glyn Lewers said he received the first email complaining about the breach 14 minutes after the plane took off.

The airport had ``shot themselves in the foot'' after working hard to consult residents over noise boundaries, Mr Lewers said.

``All that goodwill they've built up, they've lost.''

Once the investigation was completed, he wanted the airport to make an undertaking there would be no repeat of the breach.

``If it does happen again, the pushback will only get stronger and stronger.''

Both the airport and Jetstar have apologised to Frankton residents.

A Jetstar statement on Sunday said its pilots were given permission to take off after the 10pm curfew.

The flight was scheduled to depart at 8.45pm, but delayed because the aircraft needed de-icing as a result of Saturday's freezing temperatures, the statement said.

guy.williams@odt.co.nz

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