Mystery surrounds Chinese airliner at Queenstown Airport

Mystery surrounds the weekend arrival of a non-commercial Chinese airliner at Queenstown Airport.

The large jet, sporting livery of Chinese Hainan Airlines, was spotted at the airport this morning by an eagle-eyed reader.

A spokesperson from Queenstown Airport was unable to identify the aircraft as it was not a scheduled flight.

“We collect landing and parking fees for private jets using Queenstown Airport, but no other information.

“Corporate Jet Services acts as the ground handler for private or charter operations and Airways manages landings and departures.”

The Flight Radar app shows the plane, an Airbus A319-133 (CJ) is operated by Deer Jet, out of Aruba.

Deer Jet is a business aviation management company, specialising in luxury private charter flights.

The operation is a subsidiary of Liaoning Fangda Group Industrial, which also owns Hainan Airlines.

NZ Customs confirmed its officers processed passengers and crew on a private flight on Saturday.

A spokesperson said while it was a Hainan-branded aircraft it was not commercial.

"All passengers and crew were subject to normal arrival procedures."

A spokesperson for Queenstown Lakes District Council confirmed neither the Mayor nor the chief executive have any meetings scheduled with any delegations from overseas.

Dunedin City Council also confirmed there were no visits planned from delegations from its Chinese Sister City of Shanghai.

Photographs taken by Crux show the jet, watched over by airport security patrols, next to another mysterious arrival, a Bombardier Global 7500, registered to a private United States owner TVPX Trust Services.

Its website says it “provides customised FAA owner trust services for aircraft owners, including those individuals and businesses that do not qualify as US citizens for FAA registration purposes under the FAA’s complex citizenship rules.”

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed MFAT is not meeting in Queenstown this week with a delegation from China.

Airways and New Zealand Customs have been approached for comment.