Air New Zealand Creates A New History In The Sky With Its Te Reo Māori 50th Anniversary Flight

Published on September 20, 2025

By: Paramita Sarkar

In a momentous show of taste pridefulness and celebration, Air New Zealand marked nan 50th day of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori pinch a typical formation connecting Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to Tāhuna Queenstown connected 22 September 2025. This historical formation was dedicated to honoring nan Māori language, pinch an immersive in-flight acquisition that allowed passengers to bask te reo Māori from commencement to finish. From nan infinitesimal passengers checked successful to their presence astatine their destination, nan formation was a vibrant ceremony of New Zealand’s taste heritage.

What Was Special About nan Flight?

The typical flight, designated NZ635 and NZ616, was an immersive ceremony of te reo Māori, pinch each facet of nan flight—from greetings to announcements—delivered successful Māori. Passengers were treated to waiata (songs) and were invited to acquisition nan rich | taste tapestry that has shaped New Zealand. This inaugural was portion of nan airline’s heavy committedness to keeping Māori connection and civilization alive, some successful New Zealand and abroad.

The ceremony was peculiarly poignant arsenic it marked 50 years of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, New Zealand’s yearly Māori connection week. Over nan years, Air New Zealand has progressively embraced te reo Māori, integrating it into their operations, customer interactions, and in-flight entertainment, bringing nan connection to a world audience. This milestone was an opportunity for nan hose to show really they proceed to clasp Māori connection and civilization successful meaningful ways.

Who Was Involved successful nan Celebration?

The ceremony was a corporate effort from Air New Zealand’s full crew, who carried te reo Māori pinch them arsenic portion of their regular roles. The airline’s leadership, including nan Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, and Senior Specialist Māori Development, led nan measurement successful creating this taste moment. The flight’s crew, including Inflight Service Manager and short haul compartment crew, wore Tohu Reo pins, symbolizing their fluency successful te reo Māori and inviting passengers to prosecute successful conversation. This is conscionable 1 illustration of really Air New Zealand has worked to guarantee Māori connection flourishes successful nan aviation industry.

From Auckland to Queenstown

The typical formation took passengers from Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau), New Zealand’s largest city, to Queenstown (Tāhuna), located connected nan South Island. Both destinations are known for their stunning landscapes, making nan formation an moreover much memorable experience. The formation itself, operated by Air New Zealand’s Q300 aircraft, was a seamless travel that not only connected 2 of New Zealand’s astir iconic locations but besides helped fortify nan narration betwixt nan airline, its passengers, and nan Māori language.

Is This Celebration Important?

The 50th day of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori represents a pivotal infinitesimal for some nan Māori connection and New Zealand’s taste identity. Te reo Māori, nan indigenous connection of New Zealand, has faced important challenges passim history, including efforts to suppress it. However, complete nan past 5 decades, nan connection has made a singular resurgence, pinch accrued efforts by nan government, acquisition institutions, and backstage sectors to revitalize and normalize its use.

Air New Zealand’s role successful this resurgence has been pivotal. As 1 of nan country’s astir well-known brands, nan hose has taken important strides to beforehand te reo Māori successful some its operations and customer service. Through initiatives specified arsenic offering Māori connection training for staff, incorporating Māori greetings and phrases into mundane operations, and dedicating in-flight intermezo to showcasing Māori culture, Air New Zealand has played an important domiciled successful ensuring that nan connection remains a portion of New Zealand’s future.

Air New Zealand Continue to Support Te Reo Māori

This formation is conscionable 1 of galore initiatives undertaken by Air New Zealand to proceed championing te reo Māori. Since 2014, nan hose has made te reo Māori a basal portion of its customer-facing services, from announcements connected flights to signage astatine airports. Crew members who are fluent successful te reo Māori deterioration Tohu Reo pins, signaling their expertise to speak nan connection and offering passengers nan chance to prosecute successful Māori connection conversations.

Air New Zealand’s inflight intermezo strategy includes a “Te Ao Māori” (The Māori World) category, offering documentaries, movies, and taste contented to passengers. Additionally, nan hose uses whakataukī (Māori proverbs) successful its values and messaging, further reinforcing its committedness to Māori culture. These efforts align pinch New Zealand’s broader goal of restoring te reo Māori to a surviving connection and making it much visible and accessible to early generations.

A milestone

The 50th day of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori is not conscionable a milestone for Air New Zealand but for nan full country. The typical formation betwixt Auckland and Queenstown was a testament to New Zealand’s committedness to honoring and celebrating its indigenous language. The airline’s continuous efforts to merge te reo Māori into its operations show really businesses, ample and small, tin play a cardinal domiciled successful preserving and revitalizing taste heritage. As Air New Zealand continues to observe te reo Māori, it remains a proud ambassador for nan connection some astatine location and crossed nan globe.