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A WOMAN stabbed two pilots and threatened to blow up a plane during a harrowing mid-air drama on a New Zealand domestic flight early today, police said.

The pilots reported that a passenger attacked them in the cockpit, inflicting minor injuries, before making threats that she had a bomb.

One of the other passengers on board - who included an Australian - was also hurt.

Mayday

Police said a mayday call was received at 7.40am (5.40am AEDT) from an Air National flight heading from the provincial town of Blenheim to the main South Island airport in Christchurch.

Inspector Kieren Kortegast said a woman attacked the two pilots before being restrained.

The plane landed safely in Christchurch 20 minutes later and the passengers were taken to a private room.

A 33-year-old Blenheim woman of Somali descent was taken into custody.

Flights to and from Christchurch were suspended for two hours while the aircraft was searched and the bomb squad defused a device thought to have been in the woman`s bag.

An Australian from Victoria was on board the flight, as were four New Zealand passengers, an Indian and the alleged hijacker.

One pilot suffered severe cuts to his hand and the other had less severe cuts to his foot, police said.

Another passenger was cut, as was the woman who sparked the drama.

Sniper

Wayne Johnstone, a passenger on board another flight to Invercargill, said he was asked to get off his plane and he saw police surrounding the aircraft involved, The Press website reported.

He said there was a sniper on the ground, and police rushed into the plane.

"I saw a dog go in, the passengers came out in a rush, then the woman came out, bundled to the ground and searched by police and taken away."

Air New Zealand said the two pilots were receiving treatment at Christchurch Hospital.

Group general manager short haul airline Bruce Parton said the airline was providing specialist support to the pilots and the passengers involved in the incident.

He said they were being interviewed at Christchurch airport by police and Aviation Security.

"Today`s incident, although a one-off, has naturally given us cause to conduct a thorough review of our safety and security systems and processes on regional domestic flights."

Pilots praised

The flight was operated for Air New Zealand by Air National, the employer of the pilots. Air National chief executive officer Jason Gray said his company was proud how its two pilots had handled an extremely difficult situation.

"They did an amazing job, which reflects their high level of training and professionalism. We are currently providing them and their families with all necessary support," he said.

Passengers on domestic flights out of Blenheim are not subject to security checks.

Marlborough District Council support services manager Dean Heiford said that, like all domestic airports across New Zealand, the size of the aircraft and length of the flight dictated the security measures in place.

None of the airlines at Blenheim Airport require hand luggage to be scanned. Mr Heiford said security measures were dictated by the Civil Aviation Authority and the airlines, not the airport management.

With AFP and AAP

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