Air New Zealand’s Boeing 777-3000ER is under tight security in an Auckland-based hangar this week, as it undergoes a Hobbit-like makeover.

Ahead of the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and in-line with the country’s tourism marketing campaign promoting New Zealand as ‘Middle Earth’, the airline said the aircraft would be transformed into a “flying billboard” for the soon-to-be released movie.

Although details of the transformation are being kept under wraps until its unveiling on Saturday, Air New Zealand general manager marketing and communications Mike Tod said the change will take six days and more than 400 man-hours to complete but expects it to be “simply stunning”.

Click back onto e-Travel Blackboard next week to see pictures of the ‘Flying Hobbit’.