Air New Zealand flight NZ1105 – better known as the Pink Flight of Fabulousity was a noisy trip across the Tasman for Kiwis on their way to Sydney Mardi Gras yesterday,

Pink Flight hostesses Buckwheat and Ribena

Like the first-annual Flight of the Fairies last year, the party began at the departure lounge, with pink decorations, complimentary cocktails, pink-coloured food, and shows from drag diva flight crew Buckwheat, Miss Ribena, Venus Mantrap, Tess Tickle and Dallas. DJ James Leuii provided the music, and Air New Zealand’s staff also performed a dance number for the crowd.

All the passengers on the flight received a pink vinyl retro-style Air New Zealand flight bag filled with assorted snacks, discount vouchers, guides to Sydney, pink travel socks, and a Pink Flight 2008 white cap.

All the gay bars and sex-on-site venues in central Sydney had long queues outside throughout Friday evening â€“ but many New Zealanders decided upon spending their first night in the city drinking and dancing at the Stonewall Hotel, which had a queue-jumper service for Kiwis from the Pink Flight.

The Sydney Mardi Gras parade, with the theme Brave New World, will roll down central Sydney tonight. The official Mardi Gras party afterwards at Fox Studios is a sell-out, with all 18,500 tickets sold.