New Zealand and Australia have similar flags... and it seems our leaders are also hard to tell apart.

John Key and Tony Abbott were placed in the wrong motorcades after this morning's New Zealand memorial service at Chunuk Bair.

Political editor Barry Soper was travelling in the entourage heading to the airport for John Key's flight.

He says Turkish authorities were very confused when the man they thought was John Key turned out to be Tony Abbott.

"The authorities looked somewhat confused. They took John Key somewhere else, and Tony Abbott looked rather confused as well."

The bizarre blunder saw Tony Abbott dropped off at the airport just in time for John Key's flight.

Barry Soper says it was one of the most bizarre things he's ever seen, and typified the confused administration of the Anzac commemorations.

"In terms of who does what and when it's done, there is one order that is made and then it is countermanded by another."

The blunder will be a minor delay for John Key, who's heading on a trade mission in the Middle East.