PM’s travel to US

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eracode

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#296141 24-May-2022 21:45

For no particular reason I am wondering whether the PM and her entourage are travelling to the US by RNZAF Boeing 757 or by commercial airline. Have searched for this info but it is not mentioned anywhere that I can find.

Also wondered whether this post should be in the Politics forum but it’s not intended to be controversial in any way.

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#2918176 24-May-2022 21:52

I am moving it to politics because some people will complain about her travel.

Back on topic, I was just thinking the same. If she flies Air New Zealand do the protection staff carry guns on board? If so, how do they navigate the US airport security with guns?

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#2918181 24-May-2022 21:58

Apart from general curiosity I was also interested in tracking the 757 on Flightradar24. I was able to follow the RNZAF’s C130 that took stuff for Ukraine a couple of months ago - but for only some of its sectors.

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eracode

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#2918190 24-May-2022 22:10

freitasm:

Back on topic, I was just thinking the same. If she flies Air New Zealand do the protection staff carry guns on board? If so, how do they navigate the US airport security with guns?

Possibly they have some sort of special licence or status - like that held by US Air Marshals who carry guns.

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#2918191 24-May-2022 22:19

Yes RNZAF 7571 was the kerosene budgie for this flight, Auckland - Cook Islands - Honolulu - LA - NY.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/nz7571

Edit: actually in saying that, the dates don't match. Maybe they deployed first and picked her up in LA, seems like they will be travelling around in the US a bit, so I'd say that was it. Certainly more comfortable and convenient to fly commercial for the long leg to LA.

Edit 2: ANZ6 to LAX departed Monday evening and arrived at 13.22 then 7571 left LAX at 15.41, so yep - https://www.flightradar24.com/2022-05-23/09:45/12x/ANZ6/2bf6b8f3

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eracode

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#2918207 24-May-2022 22:31

Yep - PM left here last night (23 May) but the 757 set off for Rarotonga on 21st.

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#2918510 25-May-2022 16:39

freitasm:

If she flies Air New Zealand do the protection staff carry guns on board? If so, how do they navigate the US airport security with guns?

Diplomatic entry & immunity . Diplomatic protection. Diplomatic luggage can go unchecked , in theory .

Im sure they would have this sorted with the US Secret Service well in advance .
Possibly the US Secret Service take over when she lands , and only they carry the guns ?

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#2920699 31-May-2022 08:22

Surprise, surprise - the PM's 757 has 'broken down' in Washington and she has to catch commercial flights all the way home. It's amazing that the 757 has lasted this long on this trip because this is a frequent thing with these RNZAF planes - it's happened before in 2016 in India, in Vanuatu and numerous other times. There's even an old thread here on GZ on this.

TBH I have been waiting for this to happen on this trip. Fortunately they find these faults on the ground - so far. What if the 'break down' happened in flight?

How embarrassing and what an indictment. Seems this is a metaphor for this government at this time.

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#2920760 31-May-2022 10:10

eracode:

Surprise, surprise - the PM's 757 has 'broken down' in Washington

I often wonder if these Air Force issues were to embarrass the Government at the time into more funding
look the other way with maintenance just before VIP flights ?

Or is it , they get so little use that every time needed theres an unseen issue waiting to pop up.
Do the Air Force's Orions fail as often as the VIP Air Force Planes ?

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#2920763 31-May-2022 10:19

All aircraft can have unexpected downtime, that's aviation, not like the RNZAF has maintenance facilities in Washington or the ability to just bring in a replacement aircraft on a moment's notice like an airline can.

Short of sending 757 #2 half way around the world just to transport the PM from Washington to San Francisco, just getting a ticket on a commercial flight seems like the best idea.

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#2920767 31-May-2022 10:28

Here's some background on the 757,

in short , its old, and things on planes break, - the fact it doesn't do a lot of hours probably doesn't help

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2021/11/inside-the-rnzaf-boeing-757-used-by-jacinda-ardern.html

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#2923386 7-Jun-2022 06:46

wellygary:

Here's some background on the 757,

in short , its old, and things on planes break, - the fact it doesn't do a lot of hours probably doesn't help

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2021/11/inside-the-rnzaf-boeing-757-used-by-jacinda-ardern.html

It basically doesn't go anywhere without breaking down and contingencies are made around this being extremely likely.

It's more surprising when they don't have a delay at this point with that thing.

Overall her trip was a success and I've found the reactionary culture-war crap in response to it extremely disappointing. Part of that, however, is a natural consequence of things like Three Waters being tabled but I think she was actually already back when that happened?

Anyway, I don't recall anyone from National being too pissed when when Sir JK hit the links with Obama so I'm going to chalk this up as people being insane.

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eracode

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#2934614 26-Jun-2022 14:23

eracode: 24.05.22

Apart from general curiosity I was also interested in tracking the 757 on Flightradar24. I was able to follow the RNZAF’s C130 that took stuff for Ukraine a couple of months ago - but for only some of its sectors.

Sitting in our lounge just now and happened to see a RNZAF C130 flying on the normal E>W approach into Whenuapai. However it struck me as flying very much faster than their normal approach. I followed it on FR24 and it did a high-speed 500 kph pass at 200 feet over the runway at Whenuapai then went round to the North and came in and landed.

This is the Herc that took our stuff for Ukraine to the UK several months ago. FR24 shows its sectors over the past couple of days from Halifax, across the US, down through Pagopago. It has been away a long time.

Edit: Just found this:

https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/hercules-and-air-force-personnel-return-from-mission-in-support-of-ukraine/

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#2934618 26-Jun-2022 14:49

eracode:

I followed it on FR24 and it did a high-speed 500 kph pass at 200 feet over the runway at Whenuapai then went round to the North and came in and landed.

The pilots sure earned that runway beat-up after all their hard work.

Lost track of how many countries they visited while on that deployment, all over the place. Just watching along in FR24 was quite educational about European political geography and rather highlighted just how poor my mental map of Europe was.

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#2936121 29-Jun-2022 20:34

sleemanj:

The pilots sure earned that runway beat-up after all their hard work.

Just hope nobody in the tower was drinking coffee at the time

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#2936399 30-Jun-2022 11:22

eracode:

Surprise, surprise - the PM's 757 has 'broken down' in Washington and she has to catch commercial flights all the way home. It's amazing that the 757 has lasted this long on this trip because this is a frequent thing with these RNZAF planes - it's happened before in 2016 in India, in Vanuatu and numerous other times. There's even an old thread here on GZ on this.

TBH I have been waiting for this to happen on this trip. Fortunately they find these faults on the ground - so far. What if the 'break down' happened in flight?

How embarrassing and what an indictment. Seems this is a metaphor for this government at this time.

wow.

anyway would it be more comfortable to fly Air NZ business class?

cheaper to hire commercial private jet?

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