Super Bowl Update

With the upcoming release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (the latest of the J.R.R. Tolkien movies, all of which have been filmed in New Zealand), Air New Zealand has pulled out all the stops to market itself as 'The Airline of Middle Earth.'



above: their website design reflects the imagery from the movies.

With a fully wrapped plane in the movies' graphics, on board promotional items like hairy socks, sleeping masks and usb drives, a baggage carousel made to look like The Shire and a Hobbit-Inspired inflight safety video.

The Baggage Carousel:





The Socks:


The Sleeping Mask:


The USB Drive:


The Commemorative Pin:


The Safety vests worn by airport ground crew officials:


The Wrapped Plane:






In addition to all the above, Air New Zealand partnered with WETA Workshop on a brand new Hobbit-inspired Safety Video which actually has a cameo by Hobbit director and Oscar winner Sir Peter Jackson.



The film, titled An Unexpected Briefing in reference to a chapter from The Lord Of The Rings novel, shows an aircraft packed with hobbits, dwarves and orcs preparing to take flight.



Oscar winner Sir Peter makes a cameo appearance as a Gollum-inspired creature before disappearing after finding The One Ring on the floor and slipping it on:



Flight attendants are dressed as elves and wizards as they take their passengers through a list of safety instructions, all of which are inspired by the J.R.R. Tolkien novels.



Gollum is seen prowling the aisles as Tolkien's great-grandsons Mike and Royd Tolkien argue in the front row, and actor Dean O'Gorman, who plays Fili the Dwarf in the movie, demonstrates safety equipment.



behind the scenes:


The official trailer for the upcoming movie:


The movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure officially opens December 14th.
The Official Movie site.

all images courtesy of Air New Zealand

above: Pascal Anson and Tracey Emin with the Dove, inspiration for a special art decorated aircraft for British Airways

FLIGHT BA2012 SET TO POP UP!

British Airways will launch an exclusive airline themed pop-up venue – ‘Flight BA2012’, celebrating the best in British talent in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Open on select weekdays from April 4 to 17, the three-in-one art gallery, cinema and dining lounge will showcase the works of the BA Great Britons who were mentored by Richard E. Grant, Tracey Emin and Heston Blumenthal.


above: Richard E Grant, Tracey Emin and Heston Blumenthal launch the BA Great Britons Heroes programme (Getty Images)

Artist-designer Pascal Anson, screenwriter Prasanna Purwanarajah and Michelin-star chef Simon Hulstone beat hundreds of incredible entries to be selected as British Airways Great Britons 2012 and will have their work featured in the pop-up venue. Purwanarajah, Anson and Hulstone have created Olympic Games themed film, art and food respectively- a short-film named Boy, ‘Dove’ artwork livery for the celebratory aircraft and a bold British menu.

The airline-themed venue, hosted in East London, has been exclusively designed to recreate a premium flying experience and will offer guests a sneak preview of the Great Britons works before they are rolled out on flights beginning this month.

ART:


Flight BA2012 includes artwork from artist-designer Pascal Anson from Brighton, who was mentored by Tracey Emin on his ‘Dove’ design for a range of celebratory aircraft displayed in the gallery.



above: Pascal Anson and Tracey Emin look over Dove artwork (Pic: Nick Morrish/BA)

above: Dove drawings by Pascal Anson (courtesy of the artist)


FILM:


It also features short film ‘BOY’ starring Timothy Spall, written by screenwriter Prasanna Purwanarajah under the mentorship of Richard E. Grant, which will be screened in the cinema.


Trailer for 'BOY':



DINING / FOOD:


Guests will also be able to sample a bold British menu created by Michelin-star chef Simon Hulstone, who has produced an Olympic Games inspired menu under the guidance of Heston Blumenthal. (Unfortunately, tickets to the Flight BA2012 dining lounge are already sold out).



above: Not your normal airline food - Simon Hulstone's Fish Pie is a work of art (photo courtesy of Jim Wileman, British Airways)

above: Simon Hulstone at work

above: Heston Blumenthal and Simon Hulstone devised the Olympic-themed menu

Frank van der Post, British Airways managing director of brands and customer experience, said: “We wanted to bring the flying experience to the public, allowing guests to preview our in-flight entertainment, celebratory aircraft livery and on-board menus in anticipation of the London 2012 Games. This is going to be an exciting year for the capital and this is just the very start of our take-off!”

• Flight BA2012 is located at 3-10 Shoreditch High St, East London, E1 6PG.

• For £50, guests will receive entry to the gallery and screening room, plus a welcome glass of champagne, sit down three course menu with amuse bouche, and tea, coffee and petit four. (This dining experience is no longer available /sold out)

• Flight BA2012 will be open on April; 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16 and 17 only and closed for Easter and at the weekend

• The first scheduled flight for ‘The Dove’ will be in early April

• Short film BOY will be shown on all long-haul flights from April

• Simon’s menu will be available on long-haul flights departing London Heathrow between July and September (excluding certain routes such as India and Japan).

• The airline worked with LOCOG, BAFTA, the Fat Duck Experimental team and the Royal Academy of Arts on the BA Great Britons programme


British Airways is the official airline of the London 2012 Games.

information and images courtesy of British Airways and Getty Images