New Zealand has recorded its second coronavirus-related death. The death was of a woman in her 90s, who died in Burwood Hospital in Christchurch.
The German airline Lufthansa bid a fond farewell to New Zealand today with a low pass over Auckland as its A380 left Aotearoa to take German citizens back home.
Aucklanders were treated to the rare sight of the massive plane travelling low over the central city and Waitemata Harbour just before 10am today, with many heading outside to capture the rare event on photo and video.
Wow, I feel privileged to have just witnessed @lufthansa’s fly-over #Auckland. An incredible gesture and emotional moment that restores my faith in humanity 🇩🇪🇳🇿
Yay! @lufthansa did their flyby over Auckland city on departure. Magnificent sight! Auf Wiedersehen & Gute Reise. Bitte nicht vergeßen - hände waschen 😉 pic.twitter.com/ekT0U5uzuM
Altitude information revealed just how low the plane was travelling when it passed over Auckland, with onlookers noting it was "a beautiful day for it".
Lufthansa's low flight across Auckland this morning - green line.... beautiful day for it pic.twitter.com/gfuJQ3CjAP
The website Simple Flying says that in total, 40 flights will be necessary, two in each direction per rotation, requiring 210 crew.
Fellow German airline Condor has operated a charter out of Christchurch and Austrian and Swiss airlines have picked up passengers in Auckland.
Air New Zealand is also flying repatriation missions for the Dutch government, meeting KLM flights in Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong.
Auckland Airport's general manager aeronautical commercial Scott Tasker said the flyby was a "wonderful tribute to the many Kiwis who had helped stranded German travellers trying to get home".
"Since the first repatriation flight last Saturday, we've had 16 of these special flights with a range of chartered carriers carrying 6700 passengers home. It's an emotional time, and we're proud of our frontline staff who have done so much to help those travellers."
Lufthansa Group Airlines has been running a schedule of 12 repatriation flights from Auckland Airport and Christchurch Airport to Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
