Air New Zealand safety video: Surfing stars join latest in-flight video

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This was published 8 years ago

Air New Zealand safety video: Surfing stars join latest in-flight video

By Craig Platt
Kiwi surfers Ricardo Christie and Paige Hareb with Air New Zealand Flight Attendants in Surfing Safari.

Kiwi surfers Ricardo Christie and Paige Hareb with Air New Zealand Flight Attendants in Surfing Safari.

Continuing its tradition of creating unusual in-flight safety videos, Air New Zealand has taken to the ocean for its latest instalment, bringing with it a collection of surfing stars.

2014 world champion Brazilian Gabriel Medina, three-time world champion Australian Mick Fanning, American big wave legend Laird Hamilton, and popular American surfers Alana Blanchard and Anastasia Ashley all appear in the latest safety video, which will play on board as the official safety briefing for Air New Zealand passengers.

The safety video was shot in Malibu in the United States, Australia's own Gold Coast and at Raglan and Piha in New Zealand.

Rather than on board an aircraft, the safety features are demonstrated on a beach, using deckchairs and surfboards as props.

Air New Zealand has become internationally famous for its quirky and humorous safety videos.

Air New Zealand has developed a reputation for unusual safety videos, with previous versions featuring flight attendants wearing nothing but body paint, survivalist Bear Grylls, fitness guru Richard Simmons taking passengers through an exercise routine, and another featuring the All Blacks rugby team.

The most successful safety video so far has been the airline's first Hobbit-themed clip, which has clocked up more than 12 million views on YouTube. The airline created another Hobbit-themed video for last year's release of the third film in the trilogy that was even more successful, surpassing 14 million views.

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It is a technique that has been emulated by other airlines, with Qantas using Olympic and Paralympic athletes in its video during the London Olympic Games, and Turkish Airlines using football players from Manchester United.

Bangkok Airways has been using a video featuring flight attendants singing and dancing on the tarmac, while Philippine airline Cebu Pacific has had attendants dancing while they show how to put on lifejackets.

However, not every safety video has been universally welcomed. Last year's Air New Zealand video featuring scantily clad Sports Illustrated swimsuit models was criticised for objectifying women.

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