Air New Zealand have developed a new way to get their passengers there and back again with a hilarious Hobbit-inspired Middle Earth in-flight safety video.

The video, titled An Unexpected Briefing, was made in conjunction with the Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop, who produced sets, armour, costumes and creatures for The Lord of the Rings trilogy of films.

In the video, dwarves, elves, hobbits and orcs cram into economy seats to give passengers important on-board safety instructions, while the wizard Gandalf pilots the aircraft.

Peter Jackson, the director of The Lord of the Rings films and the upcoming The Hobbit trilogy, puts in a guest appearance alongside descendants of J.R.R Tolkien and the unforgettable Gollum.

Mike Tod, General Manager of Marketing and Communications at Air New Zealand, believes the video is a further reflection of the creative talents of New Zealanders.

"This latest safety video inspired by The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is another example of how New Zealand is a hotbed for creative talent," said Tod.

"Our partners at Weta Workshop and Weta Digital, which brought Gollum to life inside the aircraft, have helped us demonstrate again that if you want to engage with audiences in a unique way, our nation has immense creative capability."

Air New Zealand will continue their support of the film franchise by unveiling a themed aircraft prior to the global premier of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on November 28th.

At which point they may become the one airline to rule them all.