Not every day you see three German planes in Christchurch.

Two large Lufthansa planes have been spotted at Christchurch Airport as part of Germany's plan to take thousands of people back home on mercy flights.

Many tourists have been stranded in New Zealand due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Air New Zealand and two German airlines Lufthansa and Condor, have offered flights back to Europe for about 12,000 Germans.

CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT/SUPPLIED Lufthansa Boeing 747s on the tarmac at Christchurch Airport on Tuesday.

Christchurch Airport said on Facebook it was a "rare sight" to see two Lufthansa Boeing 747s on the tarmac at the same time on Tuesday morning. Earlier, Condor made its first ever appearance in New Zealand, as part of the repatriation process.

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Auckland Airport has also taken to social media to highlight a Swiss International Air Lines arrival and an incoming Austrian Airlines flight.

Lufthansa said in a press release it was taking tourists back to Europe on behalf of Germany's Federal Foreign Office.

Five Airbus A380s with 509 seats each and five Boeing 747s with 371 seats each would fly from Auckland and Christchurch.

The Lufthansa flights would leave Auckland and Christchurch, travel to Bangkok then continue to Frankfurt.

CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT Christchurch Airport says it was a "rare sight" to see Lufthansa's 747s on the tarmac.

More than 200 crew members would travel to New Zealand and the crew would change in Bangkok to comply with rest rules.

A Boeing 747 already picked up some Lufthansa travellers from Auckland about a week ago.

Since mid-March, Lufthansa Group has operated 360 special flights to get more than 70,000 people back to their home country from 77 airports across the world.

The airline was still preparing 55 similar flights.

A post on the German Embassy Wellington Facebook page on Tuesday morning confirmed a Lufthansa flight from Christchurch had departed for Frankfurt.

An Air New Zealand plane departed on Monday.

SUPPLIED A Lufthansa plane seen at Christchurch International Airport on Tuesday morning.

"Thanks to Christchurch International Airport, Christchurch City Council, New Zealand Police, Aviation Security, Ground Handling, Air New Zealand and Lufthansa for [a] great and successful team effort," the post said.

A Christchurch Airport spokeswoman said people should not come to the airport to see the large planes.

"This includes plane enthusiasts. In this state of emergency and level 4 lockdown the only people coming to the airport, apart from essential staff, are those coming to board a confirmed flight.

"People who might drop them off should not come to the terminal and of course inside the terminal social distancing is a must."