Air New Zealand kicks off onboard live sport

30 August 2023
  • Live sport set to feature on widebody fleet
  • Roll out commencing from today
  • Sport 24 channel features content including the Rugby World Cup, NRL, Premier League and more

Sports fans flying with Air New Zealand will soon be able to cheer on their favourite team from 33,000 feet as the airline introduces live TV across its widebody fleet.

Available on the airline's 787 and 777 aircraft, the live TV entertainment trial will be rolled out progressively from today, giving Air New Zealand passengers a front row seat to the action, with content including upcoming All Blacks matches.*

With live sport onboard, Air New Zealand customers will be able to keep up to date with every minute of the match – they will just have to keep the guidelines from the airline's 'Onboard Officials' in mind.

The airline has established some rules of fair play in the skies, bringing fairness to flight and ensuring customers can enjoy the action and celebrate (or commiserate) without becoming their neighbour's worst nightmare.

Air New Zealand's tips for staying onside when enjoying live sport:

  • Cheering is encouraged, but please remain seated, this isn't a line out
  • Respect your neighbours, they might be enjoying something different
  • Stay onside when battling for armrest space, offsides could result in a yellow card
  • Sit back, relax, and enjoy the game!

Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty says launching live TV onboard gives Air New Zealand customers more entertainment options than ever before.

"We've been on a mission to give customers the best entertainment options in the skies and with WiFi enabled across our widebody fleet, adding live sport is a fantastic way to give customers access to even more content so they never have to miss a minute of the game.

"Just like most Kiwis, we're crazy about rugby, so kicking off the roll out of live sport today means they will be able to enjoy live rugby onboard and will be able to support their team even while in the air.

"We know many of our customers are passionate sports supporters, but there are a few guidelines we recommend keeping in mind, like staying onside in your seat and keeping neighbours in mind when celebrating."

Air New Zealand's live TV offering features Sport 24, available from Panasonic Avionics, a channel that connects travellers to unmissable sporting moments. The channel offers customers the ability to tune into the Rugby World Cup, Premier League, US Open, NRL, AFL, NFL, and much more.

*Eleven aircraft are forecast to feature live sport ahead of the RWC, with the remaining seven aircraft to have it enabled before the finals kick off on 14 October.

 

 

Ends

Issued by Air New Zealand Communications.

Email: media@airnz.co.nz │Twitter: @AirNZMedia

About Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand's story started in 1940, first taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat - a Short S30. Known for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has 104 operating aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most efficient jets and turboprops. It's a modern fuel-efficient fleet with an average age of 7.3 years. Air New Zealand's global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. Pre-Covid, the airline flew more than 17 million passengers every year, with 3,400 flights per week. Air New Zealand was recently named the World's Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline's laser-focus on safety. Last year, Air New Zealand won Best Corporate Reputation in New Zealand – 8th year in a row.

Air New Zealand has a well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to 20 different regions around New Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to major cities across Australia, Asia, the Pacific Islands and the US, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners, offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on sustainability and its Sustainability Framework  helps guide the airline's efforts in tackling some of New Zealand's and the world's most complex challenges. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.

 

About Star Alliance

Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,321 airports in 193 countries.