Air New Zealand flight diverted to Auckland after engine trouble

An Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to Sydney was diverted to Auckland on Sunday after an engine problem, the airline said.

“Flight NZ249 from Wellington to Sydney experienced an engine issue about an hour into the flight," Air New Zealand flight operations head Hugh Pearce said in a statement.

The engine was shut down and the aircraft diverted to Auckland where it landed safely just after 5.20 p.m. local time, Pearce said, adding that the matter would be investigated.

An Air New Zealand spokesperson said the aircraft was an Airbus A320.

The issue comes after the Auckland-based carrier last month said persistent engine issues bit into its bottomline, as it forecast lower earnings for the first half of financial year 2025.

The airline has a fleet of 108 aircraft that operate domestically and connect Australia, the Pacific, Asia, and North America with New Zealand.