Today, a Qantas flight from New Zealand to Melbourne was forced to return to its origin twice due to two separate issues. The flight, QF168, was originally scheduled to depart from Christchurch at 6:46 AM local time (8:46 AM Australian Eastern Daylight Time), but returned to Christchurch International Airport less than two hours after takeoff.
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02-13, 2025A Qantas spokesperson confirmed that the flight, operated by a Boeing 737, was diverted due to a malfunction with the aircraft's radio. The aircraft took off again at approximately 9:30 AM, but turned back again after reaching the Tasman Sea. Ultimately, the plane landed for the second time in Christchurch at around 11:18 AM local time.
The second return was attributed to an "unusual odor." A Qantas spokesperson stated, "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to passengers by these unrelated returns and are working to get passengers on their way as soon as possible."
"The pilots initially chose to return to Christchurch due to a radio issue. Engineers rectified the problem, and the aircraft was cleared to return to service. Shortly after taking off again, an unusual odor was reported in the cabin. The pilots followed standard procedures to return to Christchurch, and the aircraft landed normally." Currently, engineers are still investigating the precise cause of the odor.
Qantas stated that affected passengers will be accommodated on flights departing from Auckland later today. The company is making every effort to minimize delays for passengers and ensure they can reach their destinations safely as quickly as possible.
