Harrison Ford and his family are enjoying time out in New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
Harrison Ford and his family are enjoying time out in New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
Hollywood superstar Harrison Ford has swapped the Millennium Falcon for Air New Zealand cattle class during a low-profile visit to Queenstown.
Ford, 76, his actress wife Calista Flockhart and their son Liam Flockhart were on Sunday evening enjoying hospitality in Air New Zealand's Koru lounge in Queenstown before boarding aflight to Auckland.
It is understood they stayed at the Fiordland Lodge in Te Anau during their trip, where double room rates start at $800 a night.
The lodge, overlooking Lake Te Anau, is a known to be a celebrity haven with Andy Serkis, co-director and actor of The Hobbit, saying it's a "perfect retreat on one's journey through Middle-Earth".
Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart and Liam Flockhart depart Queenstown Airport. Photo / Supplied
"On the hills overlooking lake Te Anau lies the most relaxing, uniquely stylish Fiordland lodge," Serkis said.
Ford was happy to read magazines and enjoy a beer in the Koru lounge, relaxing with other passengers. At least one traveller's attempts for a selfie were politely rebuffed.
There were no special privileges for the man famous for his roles as Han Solo in Star Wars and as Indiana Jones, and whose net worth is estimated to be $340 million.
Apart from being escorted on to the flight as the last passengers, they were sitting in row 17 on the full plane.
The Air New Zealand flight was running about 30 minutes late but the first officer promised to "keep pedalling the Millennium Falcon as fast as we can", referring to Han Solo's famous battle-hardened spaceship.
After the flight landed in Auckland, Ford and his family were escorted out of the Jetstar exit and left in a SkyCare van.
It is understood they were spirited to the international terminal and flew out of New Zealand on Sunday night.
Ford holds a pilot's licence, and was once hurt when he crashed a World War II-era plane on to a golf course near Santa Monica, California, in 2015.
He also escaped sanction from federal investigators in 2017 after he flew a small plane over a passenger jet at John Wayne Airport in Southern California.
Ford (right) was travelling with wife Calista Flockhard (left) and son Liam Flockhart (centre).
A great day for flying in Queenstown. Photo / Supplied
One of Hollywood's most private actors, he married Flockhart in 2010. The 54-year-old actress is known for her title role in TV series Ally McBeal.
Calista Flockhart and Liam Flockhart depart Queenstown. Photo / Supplied
Actor Harrison Ford on an Air NZ flight from Queenstown to Auckland this evening.
Ford and Flockhart attend the Premiere of Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm's 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' in 2015. Photo / Getty Images
Ford is one of the industry's enduring and most successful stars. Five of his films are among the top-30 box office records in the United States. As well as his leading roles in the Indiana Jones and Star Wars movies, he played Rick Deckard in the sci-fi blockbuster Bladerunner and its sequel, and lead roles in action films Air Force One, Patriot Games and The Fugitive.
Ford and Flockhart arrive at the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences' 10th Annual Governors Awards last year. Photo / Getty Images
While filming the Star Wars feature The Force Awakens, he broke his leg when it was struck by a metal door on the set of the Millennium Falcon spaceship. The production company behind the film was fined $3.1 million for the blunder.
