Air New Zealand said Tuesday it had grounded its regional fleet of 18 Beech 1900D aircraft after finding hairline cracks in three of the planes.
The airline said cracks were found in the tail area of one aircraft during routine maintenance, prompting an inspection of the entire fleet, which is operated by its Eagle Air domestic regional offshoot.
It said the inspections were ongoing but similar cracks had been found in two more of the 19-seat turboprop aircraft, with all Eagle Air services cancelled while the rest of the fleet was examined.
"We apologise to customers for the inevitable inconvenience cause by undertaking a full check of our fleet," the airline said in a statement.
"However, the safety of our customers, our staff and our aircraft is paramount and non-negotiable for the airline."
It said aircraft from elsewhere in the Air New Zealand fleet would be used on the Eagle Air routes.
