Wellington puts the All Blacks on high

Rugby World Cup visitors to New Zealand’s capital city Wellington are getting a giant Hollywood-styled greeting as they fly into the city.

And the ALL BLACKS sign - the size of a Boeing 737 - installed by Wellington Airport on a hill above the runway spells out exactly who the local super stars are.

"Wellington is the film capital of New Zealand so it’s fitting we’ve installed a Hollywood-inspired sign letting visitors know how excited we are about the tournament and how supportive we are of the All Blacks," said Wellington Airport chief commercial officer Matt Clarke.

Wellywood
Wellington Airport had planned a giant WELLYWOOD sign to celebrate and draw attention to Wellington’s vibrant and award-winning global film industry.

However the plan sparked widespread protest and the airport has now embarked on a major consultation on the idea. It’s seeking votes on ideas through a community selection process.

After the Rugby World Cup, there will be a permanent installation, designed and voted on by the public.

In the meantime, ALL BLACKS stands proudly on the hill, celebrating both the team and the Rugby World Cup.

Wellington Airport
Rugby World Cup 2011 has just delivered Wellington Airport’s busiest day ever.

With the capital's official rugby hosting duties over, there was a massive movement of teams and fans out of town on Monday (10.10.2011).

Three times the normal number of international passengers went through the airport, and domestic flights were 100% loaded.

It was the first big test for The Rock - the airport's distinctive new international terminal.