Flight passengers quarantined at Auckland Airport

Passengers on a Virgin Australia flight had to wait hours at Auckland Airport last night after a number of travellers fell ill with flu-like symptoms. Medical staff quarantined the passengers for two hours before allowing them to disembark. The flight originated in Saudi Arabia. It travelled through Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, and Melbourne, before flight VA167 crossed the Tasman to Auckland. Mohammed Fareed had been travelling from Saudi Arabia, and spoke to RNZ reporter Sophia Duckor-Jones at the airport. The Auckland Regional Public Health Service says 10 passengers were checked by ambulance staff, but none of them were seriously unwell or required further medical treatment. Virgin Australia, in a statement, says the aircraft landed safely at 3.30 in the afternoon and the pilot made the decision to alert the Ministry of Health as a precaution.