Opposition to the controversial anti-smacking bill has gone sky high with a former MP revealing that he has used Air New Zealand flights to rally against the bill.
Former United Future MP Larry Baldock used Air New Zealand flights to collect signatures for a petition against the anti-smacking bill.
"I had to make a trip to Christchurch and back and I didn't want to waste the day so I asked the pilot if I could pass the petition around and he said yes it was OK," Baldock said.
The return trip meant taking four Air New Zealand flights and on each leg Baldock asked permission from the pilot to collect signatures. Permission was granted on three of them.
On the last leg between Wellington and Hamilton, the former United Future MP was given permission by an air hostess to use the intercom to explain the petition.
Baldock says his unconventional ways were a winner and on one flight he had a 95% hit rate. But others are fuming.
"I just felt it was totally inappropriate in that environment that anyone should be using that flight as a soapbox to have pushed a particular perspective," says passenger Shane Vugler who has written to Air New Zealand's chief executive demanding an apology.
Air New Zealand said in a statement that political promotion is not acceptable on its planes. It said it regrets the incidents and one of its staff is being spoken to.
"It's an absolute disgrace that our national airline should be allowing this to happen not just on one but on a number of occasions," says bill promoter Sue Bradford.
But Baldock is undeterred and says his campaigning will continue.
"I don't think there's any problem if I turn around and just pass the petition to someone sitting next to me and ask them to sign it. I will still do that on a plane."
