Invivo, the world’s first ‘winery airline’ is heading to Australia

There is now a carrier for those who prefer to quaff pinot above 18000 feet.

Guests on board Invivo Air’s inaugural flight will tour the brand’s Te Kauwhata winery in New Zealand.

The company behind the world’s first ‘winery airline’ is now planning international experiences following an overwhelming response to its inaugural wine tasting flight.

This month New Zealand wine brand Invivo announced the launch of Invivo Air, an airline which from next month will take passengers on ‘viticulture vacations’ between Auckland and Queenstown.

Co-founder Tim Lightbourne said the idea came about during the pandemic and the closure of New Zealand’s international borders, when the team approached domestic carrier Chatham Airlines with the idea.

“We wanted to celebrate the domestic travel opening up, so we thought, why don’t we get a plane and fly it from one island to another?” he said.

“(Chatham) were really happy to lend us a plane and crew for the duration, so we essentially take over the plane for 48 hours and we’ve decaled the plane and are putting vines up the sides.

Invivo's Te Kauwhata Winery in New Zealand. Guests will taste a selection of award-winning Invivo wines throughout the experience.

Co-founder Rob Cameron has curated an eight-course wine tasting for the inaugural flight on the aircraft; a 34-seater Saab 340A.

The NZD1,149 ticket price includes the two-hour flight, dinner at Botswana Butchery, an overnight stay at the Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa and a tour of Invivo and Co Te Kauwhata Winery in Central Otago.

Mr Lightbourne said the unusual flight experience had not only attracted more than 1000 inquiries from interested passengers when tickets went on sale last week, but from airline staff wanting to work for the brand.

“We’ve been contacted by international plane leasing companies offering Boeing 747s and 737s, and we’ve also had a huge amount of airline staff offering their CVs – even pilots – from all over the world,” he said.

The inaugural flight sold out shortly after tickets were released, but Mr Lightbourne said the company, which has worked on wine ranges with stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Graham Norton, was now planning more experiences across New Zealand and even Australia.

“We’re looking at other wine growing regions in New Zealand like Queenstown, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough,” he said. “The other opportunity, which we’re talking to the airline we borrowed the from, operates flights to Norfolk Island off the coast of Australia, so we’re discussing the idea of an international flight.”