Air New Zealand Offers Middle-earth Airfare; Visit Middle-earth for $1,578

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 26, 2004--Air New Zealand, the airline to Middle-earth, is offering a special Middle-earth airfare starting at $1,578. "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy was filmed in spectacular locations throughout New Zealand and this airfare allows visitors to explore regions used for filming. Although the movie is fictional, the location is not and all of New Zealand is Middle-earth.

Visitors can choose to fly into Auckland, for $1,578 from Vancouver. Arrivals into other New Zealand cities, including an Auckland stopover, start at $1,778 from Vancouver. These fares are for travel commencing 02 March - 14 June 2004 and from 19 July - 30 November. Auckland is the gateway to Middle-earth and seven other city options served as gateways to, or locations where one or more of "The Lord of the Rings" films were shot. These and other destinations may be added for only $40 per sector. Ticketing deadline is 30 April 2004, for travel commencing 01 March through 30 November 2004. Add-ons from other Canadian cities are available. Flights from Canada are operated by Air Canada and transfer via Los Angeles and after 30 June also transfer via San Francisco. Los Angeles and San Francisco to Auckland flights are operated by Air New Zealand.

New Zealand cities and towns where the movie trilogy was filmed included in this special airfare offer are: Queenstown (Isengard, Lothlorien, Amon Hen, Fangorn Forest, Dimrill Dale, River Anduin); Nelson (Chetwood Forest, Dimrill Dale, Mines of Moria, and south of Rivendell); Wellington (the Outer Shire, Pelennor Fields, Dunharrow, River Anduin, Isengard Gardens and Rivendell); Taupo (Mordor, Moutn Doom, Ithilien); and Hamilton (Hobbiton, Bag End and the Rural Shire).

These airfares are for roundtrip travel between Vancouver and Auckland, the gateway to Middle-earth, on Air New Zealand operated flights, minimum stay is 6 days, maximum stay is 1 month. Tickets must be issued on or before 30 April 2004.

While in New Zealand visitors can explore the regions used for filming -- a trip that will take them from mountains and volcanoes to farmland and forests.

Please note that this airfare does not in anyway promote or intend to be perceived as an official "The Lord of the Rings" travel package and does not include any guided tours of locations or sets.

"The Lord of the Rings," and the names of the characters, events, items and places therein, are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc. All rights reserved.

For web special and to book your trip to explore Middle-earth, visit www.airnewzealand.com/canada.

No one brings you closer to New Zealand. Air New Zealand, the airline to Middle-earth, offers more direct flights to the South Pacific than any other airline, including a total of 34 flights per week from Los Angeles to the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, the Cook Islands, Tonga and Samoa. On June 30th 2004 Air New Zealand will begin a non-stop San Francisco - Auckland service. The readers of Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure magazines consistently rate Air New Zealand among the world's best international airlines. Visit Air New Zealand online at www.airnewzealand.com/canada for web specials or call 1-866-554-6510.

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