Air New Zealand tapped recent and current surf champions for its latest in-flight safety video, which replaces its much discussed Hobbit-themed series of the past few years.
For instance, Mick "White Lightning" Fanning, the three-time men's surfing world champion and an Australian, demonstrates how, in the event of an emergency landing, passengers should brace themselves. But he does this on a beach, against a surf board, instead of the customary seatback viewers might expect to be in front of him.
Other stars include Gabriel Medina, the Brazilian who is the current men's world champion, and Alana Blanchard, a woman's professional surfing star from the U.S.
The five-minute film was shot in Malibu, California, Australia's Gold Coast, and at Raglan and Piha in New Zealand. It's the eleventh themed safety video Air New Zealand has done in the past six years, in a marketing campaign that has led the industry.
The airline says the flight safety videos have directly led to an increase in brand awareness, seat sales, destination marketing, and safety information retention.
EARLIER: Air New Zealand ends The Hobbit trilogy with self-proclaimed best in-flight safety video ever