A woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Herald her friend is a passenger on the plane, who said she has been told it will eventually divert either back to Wellington, or Brisbane.
“It’s just crazy they’ve spent the whole day in the plane, flown around New Zealand airspace and now might have to come back [to Australia].
“There was no proper explanation from Qantas on why passengers weren’t allowed to disembark [in Auckland].
“She said kids were crying and the staff have restocked catering.”
The woman said her friend was “gutted” as she was on her way to visit family and friends in New Zealand.
“She and her partner have been sitting in the plane on the tarmac at Auckland for hours now” she told the Herald.
The Qantas flight map currently shows the flight was meant to have been diverted back to arrive in Wellington at 7pm, but it has not left Auckland.
Auckland Airport has been approached for comment.