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The opposition is accusing the government of failing to come up with a quick and clear plan for getting stranded Kiwi travellers out of Thailand.
Up to 300 New Zealanders are thought to be trapped because of the trouble involving anti-government protesters.
Prime Minister John Key says his government is working aggressively on plans to get them out.
But he has confirmed the Air Force 757s are not available because they are in the US being repaired.
That only leaves the much slower Hercules available.
The government may hire commercial aircraft instead and is working on that option with the Australian government.
Key says he is likely to have a more definitive plan by Tuesday afternoon.
Labour leader Phil Goff says he would expect the government to have a contingency plan.
"I am sure the government is trying to do its best, but I was rather surprised to hear that there are no contingency plans," Goff says.
"What would normally happen in a situation like this is that the prime minister would be on the phone to Kevin Rudd (Australia's prime minister) and we would be working closely with the Australians."
This had happened in trouble spots around Asia and the Pacific in the past.
"While the level of danger is not yet at a marked level you always have to prepare for the worst contingency."
Goff says New Zealanders stuck in Thailand who wanted to return home will be asking why Australians were able to get out of the country and they cannot.
He says there may be contingency plans but the government should let people know what these are in case the violence spreads.
Foreign Minister Murray McCully says talks are taking place with the Australian government about ways to rescue the stranded travellers.
Meanwhile protesters trying to force the Thai prime minister's resignation have brought in thousands of reinforcements to occupy Bangkok's two besieged airports.
They have ended their three-month occupation of the prime minister's office and in a switch of tactics they are entrenching themselves at the airports in an attempt to force the government out by paralysing the country.
