A passenger and a crew member were injured on an Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to Queenstown that encountered turbulence on Sunday.
Hato Hone St John confirmed to media they were called to Queenstown Airport at 2:50pm and transported two patients, both in a moderate condition, to Lakes District Hospital.
A passenger onboard the flight told local media outlet Crux the turbulence was "not super long but intense" and happened as hot drinks were being served.
"A full coffee pot poured over a lady passenger. She received burns and a paramedic attended to her," the passenger told Crux.
"Once we landed in Queenstown the lady passenger got sent to the hospital in an ambulance... she had some blistering.
"One of the cabin crew told us how she was standing and went up and hit the ceiling."
The passenger described the turbulence as feeling like being on a rollercoaster.
Air New Zealand has confirmed the incident on flight NZ607.
"Our crew are trained to respond to these situations," the airline's chief operational integrity and safety officer Captain David Morgan said.
"Our operating procedures outline our onboard response to different levels of turbulence, including detailing when passengers and crew are required to take their seats during the flight. From time to time, clear-air turbulence can occur where rough air is not visible to the flight crew.
"We're always reviewing our operating procedures in line with both regulation and international best practice to ensure the safety of our customers and crew is prioritised."
The injuries come amid an increase in dangerous turbulence on flights around the world that has been attributed to climate change.
Last month, a man was killed and 71 injured on a Singapore Airlines flight that experienced severe turbulence over Myanmar.
