Air New Zealand has teamed up with UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador Adrian Grenier, for its latest in-flight safety video – and this one seeks to address what the airline describes as some of the most “pressing questions on global climate change”.
Set in Antarctica, Air New Zealand sent filmmaker and environmentalist Grenier along with a team of six to film the video in one of the coldest places on earth. Staff from the New Zealand Antarctic Research Institute at Scott base acted as extra’s in the nearly five-minute video.
Flight attendant’s and 22 students from Christchurch’s Hornby Primary School also had cameo appearances in footage filmed at Canterbury Museum’s Antarctic Gallery. According to the airline, Christchurch has acted as a gateway to Antarctica for nearly 100 years.
“This safety video highlights Air New Zealand’s support of the scientists striving to make discoveries that are going to help humanity – a cause which aligns with my own commitment to the environment,’ explained Grenier.
“To know the airline is doing its job to help us understand how climate change is going to affect us is something that is very important to me.”
It’s certainly a big change from the airline’s current whimsical safety video, although again, one has to wonder if the important safety message is lost amongst the environmental education segments.
Air New Zealand has been keen to talk about the work of Kiwi scientists in Antarctica throughout the press release accompanying the video. The airline, however, has nothing to say about the safety aspect of the video – apart from the fact that it is, in fact, a safety video. A point that might even be lost on many passengers.
Over the last few years, Air New Zealand has taken safety video’s to the next level – the often fun-filled films have been copied by airlines around the world. Collectively, the airline’s safety videos have been viewed more than 130 million times online.
Along with the main safety video, Air New Zealand has also released a number of educational videos which are available to view on the carrier’s YouTube channel.
