Do you have what it takes at 30,000 feet?

Do you have what it takes at 30,000 feet? Photo by Air New Zealand.

FORE! What do you get when you have a fun-spirited airline, like Air New Zealand (ANZ) sponsoring a sporting event like the NZ PGA Pro-Am Championship? You get to test your putting skills at 30,000 feet… that is what.

Starting yesterday, ANZ started their 30,000ft In-Flight Putting Challenge. It is exclusively on board their Airbus A320 aircraft that is painted in All Blacks livery (ZK-OAB), flying between Auckland and Queenstown.

Four passengers on each flight will be able to strut their stuff and put down the aisle for a chance to win a variety of golfing prizes. The one passengers who does the best overall during this week will win a VIP trip to the actual championship.

Putting on the ground is one thing. Trying it while in an airplane at 30,000 feet is another. Photos from Air New Zealand.

Putting on the ground is one thing. Trying it while in an airplane at 30,000 feet is another. Photos from Air New Zealand.

’œAt Air New Zealand we’re crazy about rugby on the outside of our planes and we’re crazy about golf on the inside,” James Gibson, Air New Zealand’s Head of Sponsorship stated. “This world-first for entertainment onboard is sure to show off some skills and provide a few thrills for passengers traveling on the all black A320 over the next few days.”

How can you not like fun airborne promotions like this? I have a hard enough time at my local putt-putt golf course on the solid ground, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like at 30,000 feet with a little bit of turbulence.

Photos and the leaderboard are up on ANZ’s theflyingsocialnetwork.com site. Currently the person in the lead was able to make her hole in one at six feet. Let’s see if that can be surpassed.

VIDEO: behind the scenes of the ANZ photo shoot

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & FOUNDER - SEATTLE, WA. David has written, consulted, and presented on multiple topics relating to airlines and travel since 2008. He has been quoted and written for a number of news organizations, including BBC, CNN, NBC News, Bloomberg, and others. He is passionate about sharing the complexities, the benefits, and the fun stuff of the airline business. Email me: david@airlinereporter.com

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5 Comments

Oh such fun! Let’s try that putt again, just after V2 and with a 15 degree nose up attitude. If that fails, there is always “Aisle Surfing” on an empty meal tray. (No you did not hear it from me!)

Mark C. (OKC)

This is cool. Brings a whole new meaning to “Mile High Club”. Get a wide body jet and you can add another hole or two. Fun idea by Air New Zealand.

I guess this is what happens when a marketing budget suffers under the weight of million dollar bonuses to a CEO who delivers a 40% decline in shareholder value.

Instead of throwing a green carpet down the stairs and telling yourselves how “fun spirited” you are, how about treating your customers to a “fun spirited” airbridge. They’ve been quite an innovation since 1959.

Inflight putting does not inspire potential consumers to buy air tickets.

Get back to basics and start delivering a return for shareholder value.

Easy Ben… this was a PR stunt and not like they do not have jet bridges or do other things to take care of their customers.

David

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