A photograph of a baby wearing a full face mask on an Air New Zealand flight has gone viral on the internet, sparking a bit of online debate.

According to New Zealand Herald, the picture was taken on a domestic flight from Auckland to Wellington on July 1.

It shows the child wearing an adult-sized face mask across its entire face, with two little eye holes cut out.

Jander Opperman shared the photo, stating he snapped the picture and shared it on social media because it sparked so much joy.

He told the New Zealand Herald that it was a "super-sweet interaction". "The baby was full of joy, jumping around and giggling away. It made the wait to get off the plane a bit more entertaining," Mr Opperman added.

Of course, the post sparked debate, with some saying it looks uncomfortable for the baby and "cruel".

"If I saw this on a flight I'd remove the mask from her myself," wrote one user. "It was dangerous to cover their breathing holes like this," said another.

Some even questioned how effective the mask could be in protecting the child from Covid-19.

Mr Opperman, on the other hand, told New Zealand Herald that the mask didn't appear to be secured tightly around the infant's face.

"I think it was a mix of having a laugh and trying her best to protect her child with the equipment available to her," he added.