No bitterness, says son of Erebus victims

NOT BITTER: Andrew Bond.

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A Christchurch man whose parents died in the Erebus disaster does not feel bitter about how Air New Zealand has treated families, but says an apology is "long overdue".

Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe yesterday apologised to the families of the 257 victims of the DC10 crash into the Antarctic mountain 30 years ago for not receiving the compassion and support they should have.

Andrew Bond, of St Martins, was celebrating his 16th birthday in November 1979 when he was told his parents' plane had gone missing. The trip was a first for Bond's parents Marilyn, 48, and Robbie, 54, who had decided to revive their love of travelling after raising their family and getting on top of their mortgage, Bond said.

Two days after the disaster, Air New Zealand sent a "suit" around who stayed for 10 minutes and "that was that", he said.

The attitude at the time was to not talk about it, and if "you swept it under the carpet, hopefully it goes away".

He did not feel bitter about the disaster, but the apology was overdue, he said.

"It doesn't define me or define my life. I take the view that no-one planned it and wanted it to happen. The apology seemed genuine, from the heart. Hopefully now, people can feel a little less bitter about it."

Bond would join his brothers in Auckland next month for the ceremony after missing out on one of the five spots to travel to Antarctica.

"I probably had a 1 per cent chance of getting on that flight. I was disappointed to miss out, but not surprised.

"To go to the scene – maybe it's resolution, maybe it's something cathartic, I don't know – but there is something inside of you that would be fed by that."

- © Fairfax NZ News