WLG?! Air NZ?! That says everything!
Flew with them AKLLAX once, ESTA all set up, onward ticket, the whole deal. "I need to see your Germany residency permit"
Really? "Yes, I can't let you travel otherwise"
Did out a very dog-eared 35 year old document.
"This isn't you and anyway it's all in German"
You couldn't make this stuff up...