When I first heard about Air New Zealand gift a online dating Matchmaking trip, I was amused. It sound like a cute endorsement from the quirky national airline of a pretty quirky country.

And when the invitation came to check out their matchmaking nz adult personals site and cover the flight from on board the plane, I was more cautiously positive than downright excited. I mean, planes are meant for move not activity. I sleep on flights. I hate talking to my neighbors. I had fears of being awake for the full 13 hours while desperate singles chatted idly about their hobbies and desire to have children before turning 40. But, I put those fears aside and soothed myself with thoughts of the lush countryside that I would enjoy once we got to Auckland and ventured further into New Zealand. So, on October 13, I flew to LAX and checked in for ANZ Flight 5: The Matchmaking Flight.

Was it a worthy promotion? I was going to find out for myself. Before even boarding the flight, passengers were invited to attend a party at the gate. Well, not all passengers. for now, Matchmaking Flight attendees sipped specialty cocktails made from New Zealand vodka, enjoyed some speed dating (as much as speed dating can be enjoyed) and mingled. Many had “met” online using the airline’s Matchmaking Flight website, so putting faces with names filled the room with enthusiasm. Perhaps the highlight of the pre-flight festivities was the performance by the ANZ flight crew. Ever seen your flight entourage and pilots dance to Bayonet’s “Single Ladies” 20 minutes before boarding your flight? I have. It’s simultaneously hysterical and frightening. I’m all for adult personals airlines having personality, but I was pleased to see the pilot flubbing his dance steps as if he’d skipped some rehearsals.

NZ Adult Personals

I’d prefer his time be spent checking weather patterns and keeping himself well-rested. When it came time to board, there was a palpable sense of nervous energy. People seemed genuinely excited, but also wary of what a 13 hour flight with slightly intoxicated travelers with an invitation to be social would entail. The flight, however, was much better than I anticipated. Rather than hit passengers over the head with the promotion, the level of participation and engagement was left up to each individual. It was a safe environment for the airline to push the envelope a bit, as every participating passenger had agreed to the joke before stepping foot on the plane. The flight’s concierge, Jane Barnett, used a portable PA system to address the Matchmaking Flight attendees rather than the plane’s built-in system. This saved the regular passengers from having their flight interrupted constantly. The airline did a mostly admirable job of separating the Matchmaking online dating Flight population from the other passengers.

A few sexy women seeking men who love were seated nearby and they grumbled a bit, but no one appeared too annoyed by the promotion. Several of the passengers told me that they had booked the flight simply for the discounted airfare to New Zealand. Tiffany Hoffman from Minnesota said, “It was a cheap flight and I have a friend in New Zealand that I wanted to visit.” But it was also the second time Tiffany had ever flown in a plane, so the deal must have really motivated her. Leeann and Ben Ziegler were heading to New Zealand on their honeymoon. Why take a adult personals matchmaking flight after getting married? “We saved tons of money on our honeymoon, so the fare definitely was the decision-maker.” Seeing as they were surrounded by singles, I asked the newlyweds what advice they would give to all those looking for love at 35,000 feet. LeAnn said, “Be authentic and be yourself.”

Online Dating

And lest you think they were judgmental of 100 people seeking to meet their soul mates on an airplane, Leeann and Ben met online. After landing in Auckland early on October 15, passengers had time to get their bearings, explore the city and get over any jetlag before attending the adult personals Matchmaking Ball the next day. The event was attended by the 100 Matchmaking Flight passengers, as well as 150 Kiwis eager to mix and mingle with some single Yanks. After spending 13 hours cooped up in a plane, I was eager to shower and not see the same faces for the next 36 hours. The party was held at The Wharf, a posh Auckland event space located on Waite Mata Harbors. I appreciated seeing everyone cleaned up and smelling more like deodorant and less like recycled air and quiet desperation. The festivities included an impromptu round of The internet dating Game, plenty of dance music and the aforementioned alcohol. Things started off slowly as people chatted and loosened up.

Airline promotion or not, going to a singles mixer can be a tad awkward and that was certainly visible as I creepily watched from the sidelines. So, was it a successful promotion? Before the flight, Air New Zealand’s Marketing Director for the Americas, Kathryn Gregory, had told me that her airline strives “to make our guests’ holidays start as soon as they step on the plane.” By that standard, the Matchmaking Flight exceeded Air New Zealand’s expectations. As for me, I was able to sleep on the plane and never really felt all that uncomfortable around the singles. But I didn’t enjoy myself as much this gentleman. Mike Banish attended Air New Zealand’s Matchmaking Flight with a media credential. No editorial content was guaranteed and he was free to write about his observations,now join with us.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 9:19 am and is filed under dating, internet datng, online dating.

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