Air New Zealand's low-flying 747 failed to draw crowds on Auckland's waterfront this afternoon but in Gisborne schoolkids turned out in force to watch 'Frodo' fly past.
The 747, one of four Lord of the Rings-themed aircraft in the company's fleet, made a 300m (1000ft) swoop over North Islandcities on its way to the party of the year.
"We were all out in the playground and it flew very low, it was really great," said Tim Jones, principal of Gisborne's 250-pupil Kaiti School.
"We don't see these big planes here so just to see it was a big event. The kids could clearly see Frodo because it flew right over the top of the school."
But on Auckland's Princes Wharf reaction to the plane's arrival was more low key.
Office workers eating lunch in the sun appeared unaware of the Frodo flight while others who had picked the spot to watch the plane were surprised at the low turn-out.
"I did think there would be more people here," said Janeene Forrest, 34, who had travelled from Swanson.
The 747 banked as it came in from the east, losing height as it straightened to fly past North Head and up past the Harbour Bridge before banking to the west.
"Was that it?" was one man's comment as the small gathering of spectators wandered off.
The plane's 300m height was the lowest it could fly without special Civil Aviation Authority dispensation.
After appearing over Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Gisborne and Napier, it was due to make its final flypast over Wellington's Lord of the Rings parade.
* Return Of The King opens in New Zealand on December 18.
