Wellington, Nov 3 NZPA - Australian-licensed airlines operating in the New Zealand domestic market will have to pay the passenger safety levy from December.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce said a civil aviation law anomaly had seen the Australian operators exempted.

The change would only affect JetStar at this stage.

The company would be charged an extra $1.66 per passenger -- 83 percent of the normal levy.

The discount reflected that the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, who the levy goes to, is not solely responsible for direct regulatory oversight of other airlines.

Officials were looking at whether there was any issue with international operators of Australian and New Zealand airlines.