A Jetstar passenger on a trip from Auckland to Christchurch got a fright when he noticed what appeared to be damage to the wing on his plane, but the airline says he had nothing to worry about.

The passenger said he was looking out the window of the aircraft shortly before take-off around 6am on August 28, when he noticed the "uneven dark tip" on part of the wing.

A Jetstar spokesperson said the airline was aware of the damage to the fairing tail cone on the wing.

The aircraft was authorised by Airbus to operate without the fairing tail cone, which had no bearing on the safe operation of the aircraft.

The damaged part was due to be replaced tomorrow.

In a Facebook posting, the passenger said he tried to attract attention from a staff member but, given the early hour, fell asleep and woke up again on take-off.

"Too late to get all precious about it now," he said.

"I don't know if it had anything to do with it but it was the bumpiest flight I've ever had and I've had so many flights in my lifetime I could never count them all."

After landing he waited until other passengers were off the plane and then tried to get an air steward to step into his row and look at the wing.

The passenger said he had to ask five or six times for the steward to even walk over to his row, and when he did move to the row the steward would not bend down to look out the window.

Frustrated, the passenger grabbed the steward by the shoulder and pulled him down so he could see the part of the wing he was concerned about.

The steward said he would remember to let the pilot know, then walked off.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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