Hobbit Airline Safety Film An Overnight Hit

A four-minute-long Air New Zealand safety video celebrating the upcoming premiere of the first film in the Hobbit trilogy has gone viral within 24 hours of being posted on YouTube.

The in-flight video - which features the character Gollum and the film director Sir Peter Jackson - has received more than two million hits.

The video is the latest of the airline's in-flight films to become popular online.

Other online hits have included a video showing fitness guru Richard Simmons wearing in a sequin tank top, and another starring the cast of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team.

"Passengers appreciate the light-hearted and entertaining approach we take to delivering important safety information," said Jodi Williams, the airline's head of international marketing.

"It's noticeable that on an ANZ flight they sit up and take notice during the pre-flight briefing - expectations of this part of the airline journey have certainly been heightened."