First photos: Air New Zealand's Hobbit-themed safety video
By David Flynn, August 27 2012
Air New Zealand has another of its famously quirky in-flight safety videos on the way, this time featuring characters from The Hobbit.
These first production shots of the video being filmed indicate that diminutive hobbits will demonstrate how to fasten your safety belt and assume the brace position, elves will show how to fit your life jacket while wizards will advise that your nearest exit may be behind you.
Somebody better tell that hobbit next to the window that this is a non-smoking flight
The video will be screened on domestic and international Air New Zealand flights from November, ahead of the premiere of The Hobbit – the first of Peter Jackson's three-part prequel to The Lord of the Rings, and based on J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit, or There and Back Again.
Fit your oxygen mask first, before attending to little hobbits
Air New Zealand has signed a two-year deal to promote The Hobbit.
The Kiwi flag-carrier has good form with attention-grabbing and therefore very effective safety videos, including its current animated effort voiced by Ed O'Neill and Kiwi actress Melanie Lynskey and an earlier effort in which the crew were naked but for body paint.
Watch those clips and more in our collection of must-see airline safety videos.
Get the latest updates for business traveller and frequent flyers: follow @AusBT on Twitter.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
10 Mar 2011
Total posts 526
How ridiculous.
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
You have to hand it to Air New Zealand, they really do come up with funny and as you say very attention-grabbing videos, if you are watching them then you're paying attention, better than the same boring videos which people really don't watch.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 780
Very true - they get the point across. So many peole ignore them at their peril. On Youtube you can see the body paint version for domestic 737-300 - also very good.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2011
Total posts 187
Anything has to be better than that one qf used to have with John Travolta.
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