The Bear Essentials of Safety video, which was released last week, is rapidly approaching 3 million views globally - already watched by more than 2 million people on YouTube, with more than 750,000 views on the Chinese equivalent YouKu.com.

Air New Zealand Chief Marketing and Customer Officer Mike Tod says the entire safety video was shot outside of an airline environment and much of the spectacular footage filmed thousands of feet above sea level.

“As far as we are aware this is the first time an airline safety video has been filmed in the great outdoors.  We upped the ante even further, throwing children and animals into the mix, which made for a challenging shoot, but the results have already been well worth the effort.

“The Bear Essentials of Safety has been a smash hit online and our customers onboard love it too,” says Mr Tod.

The three day shoot involved 50 cast and crew including Air New Zealand staff, Department of Conservation advisors, safety experts, Scouts from the local town of Te Anau, celebrity entomologist Ruud Kleinpaste and of course adventurer Bear Grylls.

To view the making of Air New Zealand’s hit in-flight safety video Bear Essentials of Safety click here.

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