Another 50 New Zealanders who were on holiday in New Caledonia when riots started are on their way home.
A third evacuation flight from Noumea took off at around 11:45am and is expected to arrive in Auckland by mid-afternoon.
Andre Capiez was one of the passengers invited on board the Hercules plane at Magenta Airport.
"I got a phone call yesterday afternoon telling me that I would be on the flight and had to make it to a rendezvous point this morning... at 7am outside one of the tourist hotels," he said.
"I had a friend drive me there and then we had to register, fill in a medical form, set our baggage aside and then we had a briefing about the plane."
Capiez had been staying in southern Noumea, which he said was fairly removed from rioting in the northern suburbs.
"Most [other passengers] feel okay because the tourist areas have been fairly safe," he said.
But on their way from the rendezvous to Magenta Airport, the group "went the long way around the bays to stay in those southern suburbs".
He said the airport was heavily guarded.
"We are at the domestic airport in the local flying club area, not the commercial side of the airport. There are French armed forces around so it's very secure."
Overall, Capiez said the evacuation process had been very smooth.
"It's been really good because the consular staff, NZDF people, MFAT people have all been very amazing," he said.
"They walked us through what to expect, that we should arrive in Auckland mid-afternoon. Staff were seeing if they could re-book [flights] for people who need to fly elsewhere in New Zealand."
Defence Force staff had distributed earplugs and warned passengers that the flight would be noisy, but many were just happy to go home, Capiez said.
"There's a number of people here with young children and babies, so it's going to be a big relief for people to get home."
