Araraurangi Air New Zealand celebrates 50 years of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori at 30,000 feet
From check-in to touchdown, customers on flights NZ635 and NZ616 were immersed in te reo Māori. Greetings, announcements and waiata filled the journey, creating an atmosphere of celebration, connection and manaakitanga.
Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Kiri Hannifin, said the service captured the airline's passion for championing the language.
"Our crew carry te reo Māori with them all over the world, making it part of the journey wherever we fly. This special flight was our way of celebrating both the language itself and 50 years of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, a milestone for Aotearoa that we are incredibly proud to honour."
Senior Specialist – Māori Development, Bari Mio (Ngāti Awa, Tūhoe, Te Whānau ā Apanui), said the day was fuelled by aroha and pride.
"As an airline, we're proud to bring te reo Māori to life in ways that connect with both our people and our customers. This celebration was about creating a journey that honoured the past 50 years while looking to the future, a chance for everyone on board to feel part of something special."
Among those leading the celebration was Inflight Service Manager Te Aorere Redmond, proudly wearing his Tohu Reo pin, a symbol of fluency and an invitation for customers to kōrero Māori.
"For me, it's the pride in who we are, as a country, as an airline, and as Māori. By using te reo in meaningful ways, we create opportunities for it to grow and inspire others. Whiua ki te Ao – cast it out to the world."
Short haul cabin crew Kiaani Witana, said taking part was a privilege.
"I'm proud to represent my whānau, my hāpori and te iwi Māori not only on this flight but on every flight, in every country. Especially our own."
Seats on both services were filled with customers eager to be part of the milestone celebration, many reflecting on the journey of te reo Māori over five decades and its bright future ahead.
Hannifin said the anniversary gave the service special significance.
"For Araraurangi Air New Zealand, the celebration is part of a much bigger journey. It has been 11 years since our customer-facing crew first began greeting customers with 'kia ora', and today te reo Māori is woven throughout the inflight experience. Crew who can kōrero wear the Tohu Reo pin so customers can identify them, our international flights feature a dedicated 'Te Ao Māori' category on inflight entertainment, and our values are expressed through whakataukī (Māori proverbs)."
Araraurangi Air New Zealand remains committed to ensuring te reo Māori continues to grow and be heard at home and across the globe, wherever we fly.
ENDS
Issued by Air New Zealand Communications
Email: media@airnz.co.nz │ Phone: +64 21 747 320
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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 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 9.9 years. Air New Zealand's global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. In 2024, the airline flew more than 16 million passengers. Air New Zealand was named 2025 World's Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline's laser-focus on safety.
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