A woman was removed from an Air New Zealand aircraft on Tuesday morning after delaying a flight leaving Wellington Airport.
A passenger onboard the flight affected contacted Newshub and said the delay happened because a fellow passenger had refused to watch the safety video.
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Air NZ confirmed flight NZ424 to Auckland had to return to the gate because a customer failed to comply with crew instructions, and was taken off the aircraft by police.
"The passenger will receive an infringement notice under Civil Aviation Authority rules relating to the use of a cellphone," a police spokesperson told Newshub.
But the passenger who contacted Newshub is placing the blame with the airline, rather than the phone user.
"I have to say that if watching the safety video is so crucial and you can be escorted off the plane, maybe Air New Zealand should stop making 'Rachel Hunter ice cream ad' safety videos," they said.
"Just make a short video that is compulsory to watch and let people know if they don't watch the video, the police will come and take them away."
In 2015, former politician Sir Bob Jones was removed from a flight due to depart Auckland for Wellington.
A witness at the time told media he had refused to agree to help others in the case of an emergency, due to being in an exit row.
Newshub.
