Kiwi Olympians have reportedly turned an Air New Zealand charter flight back from Tokyo into an unruly "party bus".
Athletes on board were drinking excessively while singing and dancing in the aisles to music played from personal speakers, a witness tells Stuff.
The flight reportedly carried rugby players, swimmers, footballers, trampolinists, surfers, and swimmers who had all completed their respective events.
The anonymous witness claims the "riotous drunken action" forced the plane's captain to intervene, making announcements over the public address system to attempt to quell their behaviour.
Some passengers also shunned COVID-19 protocols, "removing their face masks and throwing them at the crew", the witness tells Stuff.
An NZ official aboard has played down the incident, calling the alleged partying "innocent enough".
"It was all very jovial and light-hearted," the official tells Stuff. "All they wanted to do was have a beer and sing."
The alleged "party cabins" were in stark contrast to the "very quiet" athletes in business class, which reportedly included the gold medal-winning Black Ferns Sevens and members of the swimming team.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee says it's aware some of their athletes had "celebrated" after "years of training, and extended, Olympic campaign" and no complaint had been received from Air New Zealand.
Air New Zealand says it had spoken to members of the operating crew on board and were not aware of any complaints.
