The Qantas flight bound for New Zealand, QF163, had a smooth take-off from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport at about 6.45pm on Wednesday, but then things took an unexpected turn

A Qantas flight from Sydney to Wellington, New Zealand has had to turn back due to a strange smell being noticed onboard.

The plane with 144 people aboard made a priority landing in Sydney, with one crew member receiving medical attention.

A Qantas spokesperson said the airline made a “priority one” landing. “A flight from Sydney to Wellington returned to Sydney after reports of an unusual smell in the cabin,” she said. ”The aircraft landed safely and will be checked by engineers before returning to service.