Having a couple of wines onboard took its meaning to another level last week as Invivo Air took to the skies above New Zealand. The Saab 340, registration ZK-CIZ, took on the name 'Cloud Wine' for the inaugural trip.

Chartered from Air Chathams

As expected and previously reported on Simple Flying, the winery chartered the aircraft for the overnight trip to Central Otago from kiwi carrier Air Chathams. ZK-CIZ, an almost 30-year-old Saab 340, whisked 30 guests on their curated trip to sample some of the best wine and food Queenstown had to offer. The overnight trip operated as follows:

• 3C 942, departing on January 31 from Auckland International Airport (AKL) at 12:12, touching down at Queenstown International Airport (ZQN) at 14:40
• 3C 941, departing on February 1 from Queenstown International Airport (ZQN) at 10:54, arriving at Auckland International Airport (AKL) at 13:50

Discover more aviation news for Australia and Oceania here.

'Cloud Wine'

The Saab, adequately named 'Cloud Wine' for the trip, wore the costume in flight, taking inspiration from local vineyards and an al fresco aesthetic. The plane's interior was decorated with hanging vines.

With the branding of ''business class in every glass,'' all travelers received a welcome pack on arrival, including the airline's 'Cloud Wine' magazine, sunhat, sunscreen, and snacks. Of course, the wine followed...

Wine tasting at 18,000 feet

After the aircraft took off, wine tasting ensued, Led by Invivo co-founders Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron. Eight different tipples were on offer, a tasting that led the passengers through a range of the Invivo wines available.

Arrival in Queenstown

Once the new wine connoisseur's touched down in Central Otago, they traveled to Legend's Terrace, one of Invivo's oldest wineries, where further tasting and food continued. Over the 24-hour trip, all passengers could taste over 16 different wines.

Get all the latest aviation news right here on Simple Flying.

Dinner and a hotel as part of the package

Dinner at Botswana Butchery and hotel accommodation at the Hilton Queenstown Resort and Spa topped off the evening. The following day, travelers were treated to a buffet breakfast and perhaps a 'hair of the dog' before the group headed to Queenstown Airport to fly back to Auckland.

Invivo Air co-founder Tim Lightbourne released these statements following the successful launch:

"We were thrilled to welcome our guests on board Invivo Air. As a Kiwi company, we loved showcasing some of our stunning wine regions, vistas, gastronomy and of course wine to our passengers.

"We've had such positive feedback from our guests, we're planning our next experience – we'd love to run an international flight for our next trip!"

With the success of the airline's launch, Invivo Air is already planning the next trip for later in the year. However, no further details have been announced.

Sources: Newshub, New Zealand Herald