By Melissa Davies
Air New Zealand is making more cheap fares available in and out of Christchurch.
They are of the $49 Grabaseat variety and are available throughout the weekend to give people a break.
There has been a steady stream of Christchurch families arriving at airports around the country - all glad to escape the quake.
Daphne Bryson touched down on steady ground in Auckland today.
The aftershocks have rattled her nerves and Daphne’s daughter didn't think it was safe for her to stay in her badly affected Avonside resthome.
“We were really worried,” says Mrs Bryson’s daughter, Julianne Dobson. “Her villa was actually quite damaged and has a lot of silt in the bathrooms. They didn’t have power for a while and they still don’t have sewerage, so we were worried about infection for Mum.”
Mrs Bryson says she can now rest easier. “I certainly feel safer, yes.”
After six days of stress the Cooper family finally had reason to smile too.
“We thought we needed a break from the earthquake and a little treat,” says Marijke Cooper.
Her brother, Lewis Cooper, was at a friend's house when the big earthquake hit and he's felt scared ever since.
“I woke up with creekings and glass breaking and their fish tank… the water just rised up and out of it,” says Mr Cooper.
Steve Cooper says the affect on his children is obvious.
“They’re very clingy. They don’t want to go too far away from us,” explains Mr Cooper. “And speaking to some other friends, their children have got issues that are indicative of stress in the family – not sleeping very well, little bit of bed-wetting going on and just sticking around Mum and Dad the whole time.”
They will stay with relatives in Auckland until the trauma of their earthquake experience is safely behind them.
3 News