KEY POINTS:
Air New Zealand resumes flying to Tonga today after New Zealand and Australian troops secured the country's main airport at the weekend.
The mood in the capital, Nuku'alofa, where eight people died in riots last week, was sombre yesterday.
Captain Rachel Riley, with the New Zealand team in Tonga, said: "At the moment it's very calm, very peaceful, very quiet. We hope the worst is over. It looks like a pretty terrible thing for the people."
New Zealand and Australia sent in 110 troops and 44 police at the Tongan Government's request.
Air New Zealand's first flight leaves Auckland at 9.30am and a return service leaves Tonga at 1.50pm.
Seven of Tongan Prime Minister Fred Sevele's relatives flew to New Zealand at the weekend.
Mr Sevele asked the New Zealand High Commission that seats be reserved on a New Zealand Defence Force Boeing that returned to Whenuapai on Saturday night.
Brad Tattersfield, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said: "They have New Zealand passports, so are New Zealand citizens, and these people needed help. All the people that came out were assessed on consular and compassionate grounds."
About 120 more New Zealanders are expected to fly home today.
An Air New Zealand spokesman said most of the passengers were from the backlog of three cancelled flights last week.
In Hanoi, Prime Minister Helen Clark said New Zealand was offering mediators and constitutional experts.
"I should stress that this is not about supporting any one side in Tonga. This is about supporting a proper process of constitutional reform."
- STAFF REPORTER, NZPA
