To help celebrate Air New Zealand being named Wanderlust readers' Top Airline of the Year, we've gathered together a collection of their famously funny safety videos. Enjoy!
1. Elf and Safety
Less than three weeks after it was launched, Air New Zealand’s Hobbit-themed safety video has had close to 10 million views on YouTube. That’s more people than have flown Air New Zealand. Ever.
2. Bear Essentials of Air Safety
Starring Bear Grylls, this safety video gets out of the cabin and into the great outdoors, where Bear explains the various safety features on an aircraft, while being chased by a previously extinct Moa. Surreal.
3. The Golden Rules of Safety
Survival skills – old school style – from Betty White from the old TV series, Golden Girls. Look out for Captain Stubbing from The Love Boat. You can't miss him. He's wearing the loudest Hawaiian shirt.
4. Middle Earth. Closer than you think.
What would a new Hobbit movie be without a corresponding Hobbit-themed safety video from Air New Zealand, the airline of choice for all passengers from Middle Earth? Can't say the airline lounge buffet looks too appetising though.
5. Rucking awful
This rugby-themed safety video, produced to coincide with the 2011 World Cup, held in New Zealand, has the dubious honour of featuring more bad rugby puns – and more bewildered All Blacks – than any passenger should be forced to sit through.
6. The Bare Essentials
Air New Zealand stripped air safety back to the basics in this video. The staff featured are wearing nothing more than a lick of body paint. Cunning camera angles ensure that their modesty is protected. Not so much in the accompanying 'bloopers' reel.
7. Mile High Madness
Finally, the craziest of all Air New Zealand's safety videos. Entitled 'Fit to Fly' this video features lurid colours and 80s fitness guru Richard Simmons in an equally lurid outfit. This is plane-crash viewing – you can't take your eyes off it. Which I guess is what Air New Zealand were hoping for.
