It looks like the aviation industry might have found themselves an unlikely new competitor – Colonel Sanders!
This Super Rugby season KFC is taking fan loyalty to new heights, literally. Introducing Zing Air, KFC’s first private airline service, set to deliver lucky fans from around New Zealand straight from their hometown to a rugby match to support their favourite team.
In celebration of KFC’s 12-year partnership with the five New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific teams (Blues, Hurricanes, Gallagher Chiefs, Highlanders and Crusaders), KFC has developed a flight plan to get Kiwis to the match faster than you can say ‘extra seasoning’.
From Auckland to Wellington, or Hamilton to Dunedin, the flights will be departing from several major cities, sharing the love of rugby and chicken around Aotearoa. So, how does it work? You will have to log onto the KFC App, add the Zing Air boarding pass to your cart, and you could be lucky enough to chick-in like a boss!
First passengers will be flying through the skies on their way to Sky Stadium in Wellington on Saturday, March 1 for the Hurricanes vs Blues rugby clash, the very first KFC Zing Air flight.
Blues CEO Andrew Hore is thrilled that even more Super Rugby fans will be able to cheer their favourite team on: “It’s always harder for a team to play away from home. This new initiative not only boosts attendance at rugby games, but it also ensures that when teams are facing opponents on the road, they’ll have the support of their biggest fans, thanks to KFC helping transport them to the game.”
Four more flights will depart from different spots throughout the season to ensure fans can board KFC Zing Air and support their team.
Whether you’re a Blues, Hurricanes, Gallagher Chiefs, Highlanders or Crusaders fan, hop on the KFC App to see whether a boarding pass is departing from your location.
Passengers on Zing Air can expect to fly on a private jet with a mate, accommodation for the night and primo seats at the game. And of course, expect there to be the Colonel’s finest chicken, coated in the iconic 11 Secret herbs and spices as part of the pre-match meal.
Arif Khan, Restaurant Brands Chief Executive, commented: “If there’s one thing KFC and Super Rugby have in common, it’s the unifying force to bring people together. Last year we delivered fans to the game via the KFC Gravy Train and now, with KFC Zing Air, we’ve cooked up a brand-new way for fans to get even
closer to the action, both on the field and in the sky”.
He added: “This Super Rugby season we can’t wait to see Kiwis enjoying KFC and rugby with their mates, whether they’re lucky enough to be flying high with Zing Air, cheering in the stands, or kicking back at home with a bucket”.
All Zing Air flights are carbon neutral. KFC has engaged with a carbon offsetting scheme, EKOS, to offset 100 per cent of the carbon emissions from flights via a native planting project, the Kern Creek Forest Conservation Project in Maruia.
KFC Zing Air passes are open from today, Tuesday 11 February with several double passes across five flights up for grabs throughout the season.
