Ninja Jet

Look at the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Ninja Jet!
Or rather, it's the newest paintjob from Air New Zealand. The all-black livery isn't just so our national carrier will have the slickest-looking plane out there: it's to honour the All Blacks. The airline is going all-out with its support in this, it's 17th season of sponsorship (as we draw nearer to the *yawn* Rugby World Cup 2011).
The new all-black design was revealed this week by Air NZ CEO Rob Fyfe, in "recognition of the airline's long-time support of the nation's favourite game" (I didn't have the heart to tell him that rugby ranks 21st. on SPARC's 2007/2008 'Sport Participation Levels' survey, far below netball, fishing, swimming and even gardening!).
*bing-bong* Announcing the arrival of Air NZ's new domestic fleet of A320 aircraft, from the end of this year...
The first A320 to arrive will be the only one dressed as Ninja Jet (sporting sleek black livery, silver fern motif and corporate tail koru), and will be kept to just the domestic routes. So if you're an avid kiwi planespotter, this'll be one to watch out for.
I hate to be a spoilsport (yea...right!) but given that darker paint weighs more than white paint (and white is the dominant colour of its usual paintjob), I wonder if Air NZ has given much thought to the extra fuel consumption and increased carbon footprint imposed by its frenzied rugby sponsorship? Hmmmm...?