By Lucy Craymer
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – The New Zealand Defense Force plane that flew New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Japan broke down on Sunday, forcing the prime minister to take a commercial flight, his office confirmed on Monday.
Luxon will spend four days in Japan, where he is expected to meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and spend time promoting business in New Zealand.
New Zealand media reported that the Boeing (NYSE:) 757 broke down during a refueling stop in Papua New Guinea, leaving the business delegation and journalists in Port Moresby while Luxon flew commercially to Japan.
The New Zealand Defense Force’s two 757s are more than 30 years old and their age has made them increasingly unreliable.
New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins told radio station Newstalk ZB on Monday that the ongoing flight problems were “embarrassing” and that the ministry planned to allow Luxon and its delegation to fly commercially from now on.
The New Zealand Defense Force is struggling with aging equipment and maintaining sufficient personnel. The government has said it wants to spend more on defense, but is also trying to cut spending as the country faces economic headwinds.
