Police are planning to set up New Zealand's own air marshals and put armed undercover officers on international flights.

Police want government funding to put the officers on about one in every 50 Air New Zealand flights that go to or over the United States.

New Zealand's aviation laws were amended last year to allow for in-flight security officers from other countries to transit in New Zealand, and for our own to be deployed should the Government ever decide to do so.

The law, not yet required, was put in place because any situation that required armed officers could arise quickly.

It could also be made a condition of flying into the US as early as next year.

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