Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has asked the New Zealand Defence Force to investigate options for VIP flight overseas.
It comes as the NZDF 757 Luxon was set to fly to Sydney to meet Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on tomorrow broke down. It has since been repaired, but the maintenance issues meant Luxon may have had to fly to his first official overseas visit on an alternative, smaller Defence Force plane, or fly commercially.
The 757 aircraft, one of two VIP aircraft operated by the Defence Force, is over 30 years old and has been plagued with maintenance issues and hampered official missions due to its lack of range.
Earlier today, Luxon acknowledged the work of engineers who he said were doing an "incredible job" to maintain an "antiquated aircraft".
"We've also actually asked Defence to come forward with long term options for proper travel. We want to be out and about in the world... and it's important that we actually can actually get around and actually do what we need to do."
Asked if that meant the Government may buy replacement planes, Luxon said he wasn't going to "get into what the options look like" but had asked Defence for those options.
"It's a pretty basic requirement and I think under successive governments we need to get that investment profile right, and whether it's an investment, whether it's leasing, they'll consider all those options.
"Buying aircraft isn't necessarily one of the options, you can actually lease aircraft."
He said contracting aircraft was also an option.
"All we're saying is hey listen, we have to call time on this, this is embarrassing, it's not right."
Luxon said it was great New Zealand had "a great ability, as New Zealanders, to make things work for as long as we can" but a long term solution was needed.
Before the election Luxon expressed a preference to fly commercially if he was prime minister.
He said he was still happy to, but is also open to other options.
Luxon said it was "easier" for VIPs to fly commercially to events such as the King's Coronation.
The 757s do not have the range to reach the United Kingdom, and needed to 'bunny-hop' to China earlier this year, travelling to Cairns, then Manila, and on to Beijing.
Luxon said the coalition government wanted to "spend a lot of time in South-East Asia and North-East Asia", and strengthen relationships with Australia and the US.
The prime minister said he expected the Defence Force would present options to the Government in the first quarter of the new year.
According to official information sources, between 2020 and 2022, the two NZDF 757s cost an average of $77,247 per hour of flight, which over the three year period was almost 2148 hours.
The plane is typically used for official trips as it allows the Government to fly not just the prime minister — or whoever is leading the trip — but also staff, the Diplomatic Protection Service, Air Force staff, a business delegation and media delegation to the destination.
The planes are used for other VIP transportation purposes as well as for freight in the Pacific, to transport troops and for trips to Antarctica.
SHARE ME