Two pilots were unable to see properly when a green laser was shone at their planes near Wellington Airport last night.
Police spokesman Nick Bohm said a Jetstar 737 was taking off when it was struck by a laser, shone from the southern end of the runway near Lyall Bay, at 8.40pm.
About 20 minutes later, an Air New Zealand 737 coming in to land was hit from the same area.
The pilots had reported being unable to see anything as the lasers reflected off glass and the cockpits filled with bright green light.
Mr Bohm said hundreds of passengers would have been on board the planes and the offender or offenders had put their lives at risk.
