Live Shotgun Shell Found In Overhead Bin On Air New Zealand Airbus A320

Simple Flying

By Aaron Bailey

Published Aug 12, 2023

Once found, the cabin crew followed standard procedure. However, it remains unclear how the cartridge got through airport security.

Photo: aiyoshi597/ Shutterstock

Aircrew found a live shotgun cartridge in the overhead lockers of a flight between Christchurch and Auckland in New Zealand.
Passengers traveling domestically in New Zealand must go through airport security, and live ammunition is banned from carry-on luggage.
In the past year, the New Zealand Aviation Security Service has removed ammunition from passengers' luggage 3,658 times, indicating a potential security issue.