The Civil Aviation Authority is tightening the rules for aircraft in New Zealand following the Germanwings tragedy.

READ MORE: Co-Pilot 'deliberately' crashed plane

The CAA says effective today, it requires large jet aircraft operators to ensure they have a minimum of two people in the flight deck at any given time.

Acting director John Kay says this applies to domestic and international flights.

The move comes as other International airlines and aviation regulators have changed their practices to ensure there are always two people in the cockpit at any one time.

Canada has ordered its airlines to post two people at all times in cockpits of passenger planes, effective immediately.

Germany's aviation association has also announced it plans to introduce a two-person cockpit rule.

Germanwings copilot Andreas Lubitz murdered 149 people when he crashed his Airbus A320 into the French Alps after locking the captain out of the cockpit.