Middle earth express

Air New Zealand’s new transport to Middle-Earth

It’s been nearly a decade since Frodo Baggins deposited a fancy ring in the fires of Mordor, saving the people and various other anthropomorphic creatures of Middle Earth and bringing to a close one of the greatest tourist bonanzas in the history of New Zealand. Is the world ready for a return trip?

Only time and box office receipts will tell, but in the run-up to the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first in a trilogy of Lord of the Rings prequels, Air New Zealand is betting big on a Baggins – though this time its Uncle Bilbo rather than old pal Frodo. So far, the signs seem auspicious. Since it was posted to YouTube in early November, an Air New Zealand Hobbit-themed safety video has been viewed nearly 10 million times – presumably not for the most part by people wondering how to buckle their safety belts.