75 today! Air NZ takes a trip down memory lane

75 today! Air NZ takes a trip down memory lane

Air New Zealand has brought out the balloons and birthday cake, as it celebrates 75 years of flying today.

With a themed trans-Tasman flight and a surprise for Sydney Harbour City Ferry passengers, the airline is going large with its festivities.

Air NZ’s first ever service was on the Short S30 flying boat Aotearoa, taking a massive nine hours from Auckland to Sydney, and carrying just nine passengers.

Landing back in today’s time, and the airline is now celebrating its first flight on the newest baby to join the fleet, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

The themed Auckland to Sydney service, which touched down at 10.35am, features a 1940s themed menu, a mid-air fashion show of the airline’s uniforms through the decades and a few other surprises for customers including, of course, birthday cake.

Sydney ferry passengers traveling to the city from Rose Bay will be also treated to a trip down memory lane with the interior of Sydney’s iconic Lady Herron Ferry transformed to resemble a 1940s flying boat.

Air New Zealand cabin crew will invite passengers to take their seats, complete with lap straps, while character actors recreate the 1940s flight experience and ‘The Starr Sisters’ provide 1940s style entertainment.

The Lady Herron was in service today from 6.45am to 9.30am on the Rose Bay to Circular Quay service, while the ferry will carry passengers from Circular Quay to Mosman from 3.30pm to 6pm this evening.

An exhibition highlighting the history of the airline will remain on the Lady Herron for one week, greeting around 1000 commuters per day.

Today’s celebrations are the highlight of a year of activities to mark Air New Zealand’s 75th anniversary, with extras including a retrospective exhibition, commemorative stamps issued with New Zealand Post, and a promotion in the UK that saw 75 lucky customers grab return fares to New Zealand for just 75GBP.

To mark the milestone occasion, we’re taking a photographic trip down the airline’s memory lane, from celebrity guests to retro uniforms.

 

Ferry passengers surprises by today's birthday celebrations

Ferry passengers surprises by today’s celebrations with The Starr Sisters

An old fashioned safety demonstration to welcome ferry passengers this morning.

An old fashioned safety demonstration to welcome ferry passengers this morning.

The Beatles leave Sydney airport for New Zealand, 21 June 1964. Photo: A Kemp/Fairfax Syndication.

The Beatles leave Sydney airport for New Zealand, 21 June 1964. Photo: A Kemp/Fairfax Syndication.

Dior hostesses

Dior hostesses

Princess Elizabeth with the Duke of Edinburgh

Princess Elizabeth with the Duke of Edinburgh

 

RMA Australia flying boat

RMA Australia flying boat

Passengers disembarking the flying boat

Passengers disembarking the flying boat

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