Qantas flight QF122 diverted to Christchurch after flames seen from left engine
Qantas flight QF122, a Boeing 737 bound for Sydney from Queenstown, was diverted to Christchurch on September 6, 2026, after passengers observed flames coming from the left engine shortly after takeoff. The aircraft made a priority landing approximately 52 minutes after takeoff. Qantas dispatched engineers to investigate and arranged hotel accommodation and onward flights for affected passengers.
11
Divergence score
2 outlets covered it, splitting into 2 framing camps across 2 bias groups.
2 camps
2 bias groups
The spectrum · how 2 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
The Guardian
Al Jazeera
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
First to report
- Al Jazeerafirst
- The Guardian+2.5 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
The Guardian provides firsthand passenger testimony and operational detail; Al Jazeera offers a brief news bulletin with no additional facts beyond the core incident.
How each outlet covered it
Lightly covered so far
Too few outlets to map a left-right split. Here is each take as it stands.
Sparse coverage · 2 outlets
“Flames burst from Qantas plane engine after New Zealand takeoff”
“'The engine's on fire': Qantas flight from Queenstown to Sydney reroutes after flames seen by passengers”
6 tracked claims across 2 outlets
Fact ledger
All6Claimed3Corroborated3
1/2
Claimed
The Boeing 737 landed about 52 minutes after takeoff, touching down shortly before 5pm local time on September 6, 2026
Corroborated
Disputed
5 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger