Air New Zealand

California’s role in aviation history? A quiz.

History, , , , ,

Here’s an aviation history quiz:

What do the first major U.S. airshow, the first and only flight of the Spruce Goose and SpaceX have in common?

Hughes H-4 Hercules (“Spruce Goose”) model. Courtesy SFO Museum

California.

This nice timeline created by Air New Zealand lays out some notable events, people and aviation products from the Golden State.

Not in the timeline?  The first airport hotel, opened at Oakland International Airport in 1929. See my story about hotel and other at-the-airport inns in my “At the Airport” column on USA TODAY.

In the meantime, here’s ANZ’s timline of California Aviation.

Turkish Airlines has a Lego Airline Safety Video

Airlines, Safety videos, , ,

 

A Turkish Airlines airplane evidently has a cameo role in the upcoming Lego movie and that has inspired the airline to create a charming safety video featuring Lego characters Emmet, Wyldstyle, Batman and many others.

I’m not sure I’ve spotted all the references yes, but I love that there’s a checklist referenced here of all the features modern-day safety videos seem to have, including celebrity cameos and catchy songs.

Take a look and let me know what special touches you notice.

https://youtu.be/C2hCN6cVuqM

And while we’re talking airline safety videos, let’s revisit some classics:

https://youtu.be/DtyfiPIHsIg

 

Travel Tidbits: Cool ANZ safety video, free museums, fun stuff

Airports, Kids travel, Museums, Safety videos, , , ,

 

Happy Friday. Here’s hoping you have a great weekend of adventures planned.

Here are some travel tidbits that might be useful as you head out on the road.

Air New Zealand has a new in-fligh safety video it is calling “The World’s Coolest” – becuase it was filmed in Antarctica.

https://youtu.be/TEsHqdA9dV0

Pittsburgh International Airport gets arty

In addition to hosting a new paint-it-yourself art studio called Paint Monkey, Pittsburgh International Airport has appointed its first artist-in-residence. Blaine Siegel will have studio space at the airport for a year and during his residency he’ll interact with travelers and airport workers to better understand the airport environment. He’ll then produce an artwork that will be exhibited at the airport.

Visit museums free this weekend 

Thanks to the Museums on Us program, anyone with a Bank of America, Merrill Lynch or U.S. Trust credit or debit card can gain free entry to any of more than 200 museums, science centers and cultural attractions around the country this weekend – and on the first full weekend of every month. The full roster of participating venues can be found here.

Norwegian debuts female-driven in flight comedy channel

Norwegian has put together a female-driven in-flight comedy channel called PYPO (Put Your Pretty On), with Emmy-winner Stephanie Laing, that will be available on the airlines’ Dreamliner long-haul flights.  The channel will start with seven comedy sketches, totaling about 20 minutes, with more to come later this year.

Check out some samples here and here.

JFK Terminal has its own website

As a reminder that every terminal at New York’s JFK airport is pretty much its own world, JFK Terminal 4 now has its own website featuring an interactive terminal map, current information about security and taxi wait times, a FAQ section and tourist information. (T4 also has its own Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts).

 

Supermodel Rachel Hunter in Air New Zealand safety video

Safety, ,

 

It may be winter up north, but it’s summer in New Zealand. And what’s a new season without a new airline safety video?

Here’s the latest from Air New Zealand.  Unlike the “Nothing to Hide” ANZ safety video from 2009 (below), in this one everyone keeps all their clothes on. Even supermodel Rachel Hunter.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEnlEVLyD1s&feature=youtu.be

 

 

Men in Black & Air New Zealand’s safety video

Safety, , ,

Air New Zealand - Men in Black Safety Defenders

Air New Zealand’s newest in-flight safety video – “Men in Black Safety Defenders” – stars the All Blacks (New Zealand’s national rugby team and defending world champions), other international rugby greats, actor Rip Torn and that scary talking pug – in a rap-style video inspired by the “Men in Black” film franchise.

https://youtu.be/ji65WI5QLZI

The celebrate, the airline is giving U.S. customers a chance to win two roundtrip tickets to London from Los Angeles on Air New Zealand.

Travel Tidbits: FAA vs. Southwest +Air New Zealand at LAX

Lounges, Safety, , , , ,

southwest

After failing to come to a settlement, the Federal Aviation Administration has filed a $12 million suit again Southwest Airlines over allegations that repairs made to 44 airplanes by a contractor did not meet safety standards.

 

Air New Zealand Hobbit plane2

Starting December 3, 2014, AIR New Zealand will switch terminals at Los Angeles International Airport from T2 to the lovely Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). That, of course, means ANZ passengers will be able to enjoy all the new art and amenities in the revitalized terminal. But it also means that qualified ANZ passengers will able to use the swanky Star Alliance lounge in that terminal, which is operated in partnership with Air New Zealand.

LAX TBIT STAR ALLIANCE LOUNGE OUTDOOR TERRACE - BASKAS

New Hobbit-themed safety video from Air New Zealand

Fun Stuff, Safety, , ,

They’ve done it before with Golden Girl Betty White, the ribald puppet Rico, Richard Simmons and a crew of almost naked crewmembers:

 

Now, to celebrate the third and final film in The Hobbit Trilogy (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies), Air New Zealand has put together another fun, star-studded in-flight Hobbit-themed safety video.

This one stars Elijah Wood, Sir Peter Jackson and a host of other odd characters and is highly entertaining – even if (like me) you haven’t seen a Hobbit movie nor read any of the Hobbit-inhabited books.

Enjoy!

 

On the bus with Air New Zealand

Air Travel, Airlines, Seating, ,

ANZ SEAT TOUR

If you’re out and about in the Bay Area the next few days keep an eye out for Air New Zealand’s glass-sided tour bus, which is parking around town and giving folks on the ground a chance to try out the airline’s Premium Economy Spaceseat and Economy Skycouch, which are on the airline’s Boeing 777-300 service between San Francisco and Australia (via Auckland).

The bus has been on the road a few days already, but here are the spots where you can climb on board this week:

October 6th – San Pedro Square Marketplace – San Jose (8 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
October 7th – San Francisco: Fillmore & California Streets (throughout the day) – Fillmore Art & Wine Festival (6 – 9 p.m.)
October 8th – Downtown San Francisco –SoMa StrEat Food Park (10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.) & Embarcadero Center (8 – 9:45 a.m. & 3:15 – 6 p.m.)
October 9th – San Francisco: Union & Fillmore Streets (throughout the day) – Union Street Wine Walk (6 – 9 p.m.)
October 10th – Downtown San Francisco – Embarcadero Center (8 a.m. – 2 p.m.) & “Off the Grid” at Fort Mason (5 – 10 p.m.)

There are also prizes and gifts to go along with this promotion:

Anyone who spots the truck and shares Tweets, messages and photos with Twitter @AIRNZUSA, Instagram @AirNZ or Facebook @AirNewZealand using the hashtag #AirNZ777300 will have a chance to win “surprise and delight” Air New Zealand swag.

Visitors to the truck at any of its public stops will be eligible to win daily prizes.

And – for the rest of us – there’s an online sweepstakes for two Economy round-trip tickets from San Francisco to New Zealand or Australia.
Enter here.

Lovely lavs on Air New Zealand’s new 787-9 Dreamliner

Bathrooms,

If you end up flying on the new 787-9 Dreamliner delivered to Air New Zealand this week, be sure to use more than one of lavatories. And don’t rush through your business.

The airline has created several different patterns for the wallpaper in each tiny bathroom and you’ll need to look closely to get all the jokes.

Some lavs look as if if you’ve entered a friend’s book-lined study:

Wallpaper in some lavatories resembles a library

Care – and a curious sense of humor – has been applied to creating all the book titles:

Look closely at the book titles on the wallpaper in some of the lavatories.

There are clouds on the wallpaper in other lavatories and several that have wallpaper with a butterfly theme.

Wallpaper is different in each lavatory

Look closely here too: many of the butterflies have real-looking, but unofficial names.

Another unusual butterfly name spotted on the lavatory wallpaper