Jaunted

The airline's sponsorship of the Hobbit movie isn't only these few coats of fresh paint. Passengers on the plane get movie themed eye-shades and socks to 'transform' passenger feet into gross Halfling feet. Even check-in at AKL is a bit more fun with the counters decorated to trick passengers into thinking they receive their boarding passes from a Hobbit.

For those who can't make it to the capital city, the airline broadcast the entire press conference via web-streaming posted on their social media page. We have routinely said that Air NZ absolutely kills it with social media and this is just another feather in the their cap. It almost makes us forgive them for a little puppet named Rico

On your next trip to LAX, AKL or LHR, keep your eyes peeled for the new livery. In the meantime, have a watch of a great time lapse of the new paint-job and the big reveal.

[Photo: Air New Zealand Facebook]