Air New Zealand pulls divisive safety rap video from flights

Kings, Julian Dennison and Randa appear in Air New Zealand's safety rap video.

Air New Zealand is pulling its controversial safety rap video from planes and replacing it with a previous version after heavy criticism.

The video, which features local musicians Kings, Randa and Theia rapping about plane safety over beats from Run DMC and Sisters Underground, is being removed from flights at the end of today.

In its place, a previously released safety clip called Summer of Safety starring Rachel Hunter and used in 2016 would screen in its place.

Air New Zealand says its decision is based on a new campaign to stimulate domestic travel and promote tourism to Northland.

The previous video's axing comes after rapper Denzel Curry, one of the headlining performers at Auckland's Laneway Festival on Monday, criticised the video which screened before a flight to Australia.

Others to have commented include hip-hop singer Anderson .Paak and the tour manager for actor and rapper Donald Glover.

A scathing Herald column called the safety video "unbearable" and called for the clip to disappear before it affected the careers of the artists involved.

Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones also wasn't a fan of the video.

"I don't want to be too petty," Jones said in November.

"But the reality is the [video] trivialises safety; I think it's a juvenile mishmash and it's toneless."

He said at the time that he had sat next to quite a few tourists on planes, many of whom were confused by the video.

"Based on my quite scientific assessment of travellers' views about that video, I have never heard the F-word more frequently and they're not saying 'first class'."

Although not a fan of this video, Jones had enjoyed some of Air NZ's previous safety videos - including the one now making a return.

"I liked the one about up North, the one with Rachel Hunter, her hanging out with the Maoris," he said.