2012-11-21 — /travelprnews.com/ — Tight security and total secrecy surround an Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER aircraft sequestered in a closed hangar at Air New Zealand’s Auckland Technical Operations base this week as it is transformed into a flying billboard for the soon to be released film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Details of the unique Hobbit inspired livery are under wraps until the official reveal event this Saturday when the aircraft will emerge from the hangar for the first time in front of a group of more than 100 VIPs and invited guests.
Air New Zealand’s General Manager Marketing and Communications, Mike Tod, says the design is simply stunning.
“The hobbit imagery will cover the length of the 73 metre Boeing 777-300ER aircraft – the longest aircraft in our fleet – it will take six days and nearly 400 man-hours to install and at 830 square metres it’s the largest ever graphic to be applied to an aircraft.”
Once the aircraft is revealed on Saturday it will then depart for London via Los Angeles returning to New Zealand in time to play a starring role in the global premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in Wellington on Wednesday 28 November.
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Issued by Air New Zealand Public Affairs ph +64 21 747 320
Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognised by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, AviancaTaca, Blue1, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. EVA Air and Shenzhen Airlines have been announced as future members. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers more than 21,500 daily flights to 1,356 airports in 193 countries.
For more information about Air New Zealand visit www.airnewzealand.com and for more information about Star Alliance visit www.staralliance.com.
This image is also available for download at www.airnzhobbitmedia.com along with other related video and imagery.
Scaffolding goes up around an Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER ahead of installation of the 830 square metre graphic image.