Air New Zealand pays tribute to engineer killed in Christchurch massacre

Air New Zealand has paid tribute to a long-time engineer among the 50 people killed in the horror attack perpetrated Friday against two mosques in Christchurch.

An Australian far-right terrorist has been charged with murder for firing on defenseless, shocking and appalling devotees in Australia and New Zealand.

Thirty-six victims were still in the hospital on Sunday, including a five-year-old girl.

Lilik Abdul Hamid, an aircraft maintenance engineer in Christchurch, was in the mosque of Deans Avenue at the time of the bombings.

Air New Zealand director Christopher Luxon said the airline was devastated by the loss of a member of his team.

"Lilik has been a valued member of our engineering team in Christchurch for 16 years, but he first knew the team even earlier when he had been working with our engineering engineers. planes in a previous role abroad, "said Luxon in a statement released Sunday.

"The friendships that he created at the time led him to apply for a role in Air New Zealand and to relocate to Christchurch. His loss will be deeply felt by the team.

"Lilik, his wife Nina and their children, Zhania and Gerin, are well known and appreciated by our team of dedicated engineers and their families, who are now doing their best to support the family alongside our management team. and the airline's special badistance team. .

"Our thoughts are with them, their families and their friends, who are facing this terrible loss.

"I would also like to thank the many other families, including the families of some of our team members, who have also lost loved ones in this tragedy, as well as larger communities, Muslim and Christchurch.

"Like so many here in New Zealand and around the world, I am dismayed by the events of Friday. New Zealand is well known internationally for its warmth and acceptance of all people and this attack is at the heart of who we are.

"At Air New Zealand, we welcome everyone as friends and we will continue to do so."

The New Zealand carrier has capped the Christchurch one-way one-way fares to NZ $ 139 to badist customers traveling to the city of South Island to help those affected by the tragedy.

It also offered compbadionate badistance, offering a free trip to immediate family members of the deceased, as well as preferential rates at a discounted price to other friends and family members affected.

On Friday, he introduced the option for any booked pbadenger services to and from Christchurch over the weekend to modify or re-book the tickets for a change fee or rate differences.

He has also worked with the authorities to transport key people such as police and emergency services personnel to the affected city.

Regional flights to the city were briefly suspended Friday and the airline has added additional security checks to these flights since their resumption.