New Zealand PM Flies Commercial to ASEAN Summit Due to Military Aircraft Fault

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was forced to use a commercial flight for the ASEAN summit in Australia after a technical issue grounded his military plane.

• New Zealand's military aircraft, a Boeing 757, encountered a major electrical fault, causing Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to miss scheduled flights.
• The technical issue led to Luxon missing potential meetings with leaders from the Philippines and Laos on the sidelines of the summit.
• New Zealand's aging fleet of Boeing 757s has been plagued with reliability issues, affecting the travel plans of its leaders for years.
• Former Prime Ministers Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins have also faced similar issues with the military aircraft during their terms.
• The incident has reignited discussions about the need to replace the aging fleet, despite the high costs involved.

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