Our Kiwi readers should look to the skies on Saturday afternoon and you might see a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner winging its way over the south.
Air New Zealand is operating a special charter flight out of Christchurch on Saturday, taking 50 Koru Care children on a scenic tour over the South Island.
Koru Care is a charity that provides special experiences for children with serious medical conditions or disabilities. Air New Zealand has partnered with Koru Care for more than 40 years.
Saturday’s flight has been organised for children who are unable to travel overseas due to medical conditions or family circumstances, offering them the opportunity to experience the larger aircraft typically reserved for international journeys.
NZ8477 (NZVIPS) will take off from Christchurch at 1.30pm and make its way across to the West Coast, before travelling down the middle of the South Island, flying over Queenstown before heading south to Invercargill, then back up the East Coast over Dunedin, returning to Christchurch.
The plane is expected to fly over Hokitika at 1.50pm, Queenstown at 2.15pm, Invercargill at 2.27pm, and Dunedin at 2.38pm, returning to Christchurch at 3pm.
Air New Zealand’s Chief Pilot Captain David Morgan, who will be commanding the flight, says it will be a unique experience both for the children onboard and aviation enthusiasts down below.
“It’s not every day that an aircraft of this size circles the South Island, so we encourage plane spotters to keep a lookout and give us a big wave – we’ll be watching out for you from above.”
