Tempers fly at Auckland airport
Air New Zealand has been quick to take advantage of an alleged attack by a Jetstar employee on a local radio host at Auckland airport on Saturday.
New Zealand media are reporting that police and budget airline Jetstar are investigating an altercation between radio host Iain Stables and a Jetstar employee that left the shock jock concussed.
Stables said he arrived at the Jetstar counter three minutes after the airline’s strict half-hour check-in time closed and was told by a male employee he could not fly.
Stables said he then told the man he was “a loser and you work for a loser airline”.
He claimed that as he turned away, the man punched him in the back of the head, before vaulting over the counter, punching him several more times, pushing him to the ground and kicking him in the back, before the pair were separated by airport security.
Stables later travelled to Wellington, where he was treated for concussion, bruising and cuts.
The Dominion Post and stuff.co.nz said Jetstar confirmed in a statement that police were investigating.
The counter staff member was not a direct employee of Jetstar but of Skycare, a contracted firm.
Air New Zealand was quick to seize on the incident, placing Internet adverts that urged customers to “get flights, not into fights”.
Ian Jarrett
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