Air New Zealand Surprises Passengers With In-Flight Holiday Celebration

More than 200 travelers on the 12-hour direct flight—which lifted off from San Francisco International Airport (KSFO) on Christmas Eve but landed at Auckland Airport (NZAA) on December 26—knew they would “miss” Christmas when they crossed the international date line.

But as they slept, the crew transformed the cabin of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with twinkling lights, stockings, ornaments, and even a Christmas tree. A holiday light display lit up the cabin interior with projections of frost-covered buildings and sunny beaches, mirroring the journey from chilly California to balmy New Zealand.

Passengers were treated to a feast of roast turkey, mashed sweet potatoes, and a Yule log cake. They even took home gifts like Christmas baubles and airplane-shaped cookies.

“Every detail was designed to bring the magic of Christmas to life, even at 30,000 feet,” said Greg Foran, CEO of Air New Zealand.

This month, all Air New Zealand cabins are decked out in holiday decor, with select flights including festive headrests and tray-table mats. The airline’s Koru Hour flights—domestic trips with additional premium food and drink options—now offer pretzel and candy cane bark. Red, green, and special peppermint-flavored lollipops help passengers “pop” their ears at high altitude.

“The holidays are a time to come together with loved ones, and we know missing Christmas Day can clip the wings of that festive feeling,” said Grace Blewitt, head of brand and marketing for Air New Zealand. “So, we decided to ‘sleigh’ expectations and create a sky-high celebration like no other, sprinkling some magic on this journey.”

Air New Zealand is not the only airline ringing in the holidays with special festivities. Many carriers host so-called “fantasy flights”—charity trips that fly passengers, typically disadvantaged or terminally ill children, to gates or terminals decorated to look like holiday destinations, such as the North Pole.

United Airlines, for example, has hosted fantasy flights annually for three decades. The airline this month opened its seasonal North Pole hub (airport code: JOY), offering fantasy flights at 13 airports worldwide.

After spending about 45 minutes in the sky, children and their families lowered their window shades as they approached the top-secret location: a United hangar remodeled to look like Santa’s workshop. They were welcomed by crewmembers—dressed as elves and Santa Claus himself—who played games and handed out holiday treats.

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