Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
An Air New Zealand flight from Christchurch to Auckland on Monday afternoon was turned around after the aircraft experienced a hydraulic system issue.
The national carrier said the issue on board flight NZ542 was identified shortly after takeoff, and the return service was also cancelled as a result.
The plane has landed safely at Christchurch Airport.
In a statement, Air New Zealand said: "The safety of our people and our customers is our utmost priority" and is rebooking affected customers on the next available flights.
The airline is thanking people for their patience.