Aircraft Like No Other For Air New Zealand...

Air New Zealand's first Boeing 777-300ER aircraft has been delivered in Seattle, USA and will touch down in Auckland on Christmas Eve morning, bringing the Kiwi designed economy Skycouch to New Zealand for the first time.

"This is the best Christmas present we could possibly imagine," says Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe.

"Four long years of planning and design to create an absolute world-first interior and passenger experience is now a reality."

In Seattle to accept the aircraft, Group General Manager International Airline Ed Sims said the aircraft heralds a whole new long-haul flying experience for Air New Zealand customers.

"The majority of our long-haul flights are overnight and we fly on average 90 minutes longer than any other airline. That's why we set out to overcome the seemingly impossible challenge of finding a way for people to lie down in economy without compromising affordability.

"Few airlines have invested time and money beyond First Class, whereas we have focused on the areas where most of our passengers sit by reinventing every aspect of our Economy and Premium Economy customer experience.

"We've created the world's first economy seating that enables people to lie down and a Premium Economy seat that many airlines would call Business Class.

"We're also the first commercial airline to introduce induction ovens for all cabins to give our customers freshly prepared food and have developed an inflight entertainment (IFE) system to give people greater control over the way their journey will unfold," says Mr Sims.

More than 30 airlines have been in contact with Air New Zealand regarding the new seats and formal negotiations are underway with carriers from Asia, North America and Europe to licence the seats following an 18 month period of exclusivity for Air New Zealand.

Highlights of the new aircraft interior include:
- Skycouch - affectionately known as Cuddle Class, giving couples and families the opportunity to lie down like they would on their couch at home.
- Two distinctive Premium Economy seating designs to meet the demands of both individual travellers and couples.
- The first commercial airline to have induction ovens in all cabins, giving customers the opportunity to have steak cooked the way they want it, fresh pizza and burgers, toast and eggs.
- A kiwi-designed pillow that slips onto the winged headrest in economy (meaning the challenge of pillow slippage is gone forever).
- Unique bathroom imagery with wallpaper depicting book cases, chandeliers and other home interior elements.
- An on-demand food and beverage service via the IFE system in every class
- Children's story-time in the rear galley hosted by our cabin crew.
- Inflight wine tasting in the forward galley hosted by our Inflight Concierges.

The aircraft, registration ZK-OKM, is due to leave the Boeing facility in Seattle at 3pm local time today, 22 December, flying to Los Angeles before arriving into Auckland at 8.45am on Christmas Eve 24 December.

Air New Zealand has five Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on order, with the second due for delivery in February followed by a third in April. The 338 seat 777-300 aircraft is configured with 244 in Economy (including 60 seats creating 20 Skycouch combinations), 50 in Premium Economy and 44 in Business Premier.

The first routes to guarantee travellers the next generation of long-haul travel will be on dedicated return services on NZ1 and NZ2 between Auckland and Los Angeles and through to London from April 2011.

Ends

Note to editors:
Background document on inflight products and photographs attached.

Issued by Air New Zealand Public Affairs ph +64 21 747 320

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 recognised by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award, Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Blue1, bmi, Brussels Airlines, Continental Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. Air India and Ethiopian Airlines have been announced as future members. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers 21,000 daily flights to 1,160 airports in 181 countries.
For more information about Air New Zealand visit www.airnewzealand.com and for more information about Star Alliance visit www.staralliance.com


For more information on the Air New Zealand Group, visit Air New Zealand online
at http://www.airnewzealand.com

The 20th Monaco Yacht Show

Monaco Engulfed by Sea of Super Yachts - This month Monaco will be engulfed by a sea of super yachts. The 20th Monaco Yacht Show takes place this week (from 22 - 25 September) and puts on a show of the most beautiful armada in the world.

Port Hercule provides the stunning backdrop for the 100 moorings reserved for boats from 25 to 85 metres long, many of these yachts making their first appearance on the international market.

The Monaco Yacht Show has created a reputation as the world leader in luxury yacht shows with prestigious brands vying to contribute to the 20th anniversary celebrations.

As every year, Monaco's commitment to environmental sustainability will be demonstrated by donating part of the income from ticket sales to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to support environmental projects.

By the end of the year the new Monaco Yacht Club will be open, providing another spectacular flagship building on the waterfront to accommodate yachts large and small, breathing even more life into the busy port. The new Yacht Club signals the extension of Port Hercule's facilities and combines sea, sport, luxury, culture and sustainable development.

Taste the Tarkine with Underbelly Star and Celebrity MasterChef Contestant Simon Westaway on Two Limited Tarkine Tours

The popular business Tarkine Trails, which has drawn visitors to Tasmania’s ancient Tarkine forests on the North West Coast for years, has added an exciting new element to their tours – Underbelly star and Celebrity MasterChef contestant, Simon Westaway.
Simon, who is passionate about food and the wilderness, will join Tarkine Trails on two new and limited Taste of the Tarkine experiences, which will only run on 7 December 2010 and 8 March 2011. Guests on the six-day Celebrity Chef in the Tarkine tour will have the opportunity to spend time with Simon on their journey through the majestic rainforests and spectacular coastlines of the Tarkine wilderness, and enjoy the exquisite food he prepares using fresh, local, top-quality ingredients, themed around the Tarkine region. Places on the Simon Westaway Celebrity Chef in the Tarkine tour cost $2599 per person and are limited; they can be purchased through www.tarkinetrails.com.au

The Simon Westaway Celebrity Chef in the Tarkine experience includes:
• A six day walking tour including river cruises, canoeing and rainforest and coastal walks
• Two nights’ accommodation at our exclusive wilderness retreat at the stunning Tiger Ridge rainforest
• Two nights at Corinna’s eco-cabins
• One night in large, comfortable canvas tents at our exclusive wilderness camp at Kings Run, Arthur River
• Two experienced, professional and passionate guides
• A dusk wildlife tour and a rare encounter with wild Tasmanian Devils
• A delightful selection of fresh, high-quality, Tasmanian food and wine prepared and served by Celebrity MasterChef contestant and Underbelly Star, Simon Westaway
• A restaurant meal at Tannin, Corinna’s Tarkine restaurant
• A return ferry trip down the Pieman River to the wild Tarkine coast

The intimate tour accommodates only 10 people, providing a personalized, eco-friendly experience that has a minimal impact on the largely untouched environment. Carefully designed to accommodate individuals of all fitness levels, the tour includes a maximum of 4 – 5 hours of walking each day with light-weight day packs.

To celebrate the exciting partnership with Simon Westaway, Tourism Tasmania and Tarkine Trails is offering one lucky nature and gourmet lover and his/her guest the chance to go on an all-expenses paid, Celebrity Chef in the Tarkine experience, including two return flights from any major capital city airport. To enter the competition, participants can either visit the Tarkine Trails website and click on the competition link, or go directly to their Facebook page. To be eligible to win, contestants must either

1. Sign up to the e-newsletter, done automatically when entering details for the competition and or;
2. Become a fan of the Tarkine Trails Facebook page.

The winners will be announced in early October. The winners will join the Celebrity Chef in the Tarkine trip on December 7.

Background Notes
Tourism Tasmania is a Tasmanian Government organisation whose role is to lead the industry in jointly delivering marketing and development programs that drive benefits for Tasmania from domestic and international tourism.

Part of the wider Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Tourism Tasmania links government and the private sector in marketing Tasmania's unique assets.

Tourism Tasmania’s new strategic direction has been shaped by the recognition of the changed world for tourism in Tasmania and the need for the organisation to continue to change to meet the challenges of this new world.

Local Chinese Cuisine in The China Guide’s Tours

The China Guide ( http://www.TheChinaGuide.com ) is taking travelers to good local restaurants on all of their China-wide tours. Food is a historical part of China’s culture with many types to experience; The China Guide gives its guests genuine Chinese cuisine. “We find that most travelers are taken to large tourist restaurants which produce generic dishes with little variety, based on what they think westerners will like. Tourist restaurants do not let travelers sample the unique foods of China. We are offering quality that’s not found on typical group tours,” says Judy Huang, Travel Manager of The China Guide.

The staff and guides personally select all restaurants included in The China Guide tours. The guides escort travelers to restaurants in local neighborhoods and make recommendations while helping with the ordering. Restaurants and ordering are kept flexible to client’s tastes, as there are many types of cuisines from all over China. “We try to include at least one restaurant from each specialty during the client’s tour,” adds Huang, “that can include spicy Sichuan, hot pot, dumplings and most popular, Peking Duck. There is so much to experience.”

Meals include unlimited dishes so that travelers can sample as much as they like. Standard drinks are also endless including local beer, which is commonly enjoyed with most meals in China. The China Guide encourages clients to try unusual things such as lotus root or sea cucumber, which are not commonly available in the West. For clients with a special interest in Chinese cuisine, The China Guide offers trips to local food markets as well as cooking classes. Dumpling making class is very popular with travelers and great for kids as well.

The China Guide

The China Guide ( http://www.TheChinaGuide.com ) is a Beijing based travel agency, American owned and operated. Specializing in western-style service and quality with hassle free web bookings, they work with clients to customize tours that match their travel style. Operating only in China, they have up to date knowledge and offer exciting experiences for travelers including their famous Sleep on the Great Wall tour. The China Guide avoids the common factory shopping stops that are not reflective of the true China.

Lonely Planet Launches New Augmented Reality Guides for Android Users in Australia

Lonely Planet today announced its ‘augmented reality’ Compass Guides are now available for Google Android users in Australia, providing easy to use, mobile access to its best selling city guide content.

Lonely Planet is one of the first travel companies in the world to create augmented reality products for Australian travellers with Android handsets, launching a series of 25 Compass Guides for popular Asian, European and US cities. Anyone with these handsets can now experience travelling with augmented reality technology, where real life is annotated with Lonely Planet travel information.

“This is one of the most innovative things we’ve launched and we’re really excited to see how people use this application,” said Matthew Cashmore, Lonely Planet’s Innovation and Ecosystems Manager.

“The application pinpoints your exact location so that when you find yourself in a new city and want to know what there is to see and do around you, just look through the camera and a wealth of Lonely Planet information on the best destinations, accommodation, sites, bars and restaurants appear stuck like posted notes to points of interest around you,” said Cashmore.

Key features of the Compass Guides include GPS enabled maps and location based information for hundreds of points of interest for every city, while the phone’s built in compass allows users to see their current location and how far or near they are to destinations and sites. The guides also enable travellers to use all content offline (with the exception of the maps) meaning no roaming fees.

Twenty-five Lonely Planet Compass Guides are currently available; Amsterdam, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, Paris, Prague, Rome, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, Vancouver, Boston, Chicago, LA, Las Vegas, Miami, New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC.

"Lonely Planet's commitment to innovation and new technology is unique. After being the very first travel content publisher to launch augmented reality applications in 2009, it is fantastic to see the next phase and expansion of their mobile product proposition," said Andy Gstoll, CEO Wikitude.

Lonely Planet’s Compass Guides are available for $4.99 USD from the Google Android store (available on all Android powered phones) and will work on all major Android phones back to the very first model, the G1.

Notes:

- Lonely Planet first launched Compass Guides for Google Android in December 2009 for the US market only.

- Lonely Planet worked with Austrian developer Wikitude to make points of interest in city guides compatible with augmented reality technology. www.wikitude.org/

- Android phones are available from a variety of manufacturers in Australia, including Google, HTC, Samsung & Motorola.

About Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the leading global travel information company. It is renowned for its first-hand approach, up-to-date maps and commitment to providing the best information for travellers. Lonely Planet covers the must-see spots, but also encourages travellers to get off the beaten track and understand more of the nature, culture and environment in each destination. Lonely Planet currently has more than 360 writers, researchers and photographers and produces around 500 trustworthy and inspiring books, innovative downloadable digital guides, an award-winning website, wireless applications and cutting-edge television programmes. Lonely Planet was founded after Tony and Maureen Wheeler left London and hit the road in search of adventure in 1972. They travelled overland across Asia and landed in Australia where, due to incessant questions from would-be travellers, they compiled their journey notes and stapled together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. www.Lonelyplanet.com

About Wikitude
Wikitude is an early pioneer in commercial augmented reality and the creator of the Wikitude World Browser, which is one of the first practical augmented reality (AR) mobile applications available world-wide. Wikitude engages in the research and in-house development of location-based services and augmented reality experiences for smart-phones. Wikitude is one of the leading innovators in developing new methods and applications for data acquisition and exchange in the emerging market of mobile augmented reality. http://www.wikitude.org