Wednesday day trip is Luxon’s first meeting another nation's leader as Prime Minister and will still go ahead, but the issue with the planes will likely mean a smaller media contingent goes with him.
The former Air New Zealand chief executive accepts the continued failures of the 757s are embarrassing and is recommending the Defence Force “look very closely” at alternatives, but wouldn’t give his thoughts on what could replace the three decade-plus old planes.
Luxon’s initial plan to use a 757 to travel broke a promise he made while Opposition leader when he vowed earlier this year not to use the “ancient aircraft” to travel internationally if elected, after revelations then Prime Minister Chris Hipkins had to take two planes to China in case the first broke down.
In July this year, Luxon said he would pursue commercial or charter options.
Asked today why his position had changed, he said the 757s meant more media were able to join the trip.
“It’s incredibly frustrating for everybody. It’s an issue that I think the military needs to look at very, very closely about how we can support taking you fine people [the media] with us as well because that’s partly why we want to do it this way.”
One of the two 757s was unavailable as it was under “long-term maintenance”, Luxon said.
The remaining plane was supposed to be used last weekend to fly Foreign Minister Winston Peters to Fiji but it broke down, forcing Peters to take another plane.
Luxon said the same issue that affected Peters’ trip was threatening his.
He would provide an update tomorrow on whether the plane was fit to fly.
“Look, I think it’s incredibly embarrassing ... we’re not sending people to the moon, just trying to get them to Australia,” he said.
“We’ve had a series now of instances over the last few years that are, I think, embarrassing and I think that’s something we need to have a conversation about.”
While revealing he had lots of thoughts about Boeing aircraft in his head, Luxon refused to give his view on whether the planes would be replaced or by what model.
