Dunedin local Phil Noye is flanked by Highlanders Teriaki Ben-Nicholas (left) and Manaaki Selby- Rickit at the Dunedin Airport on Friday afternoon. PHOTOS: GREGOR RICHARDSON

The smiles at the Dunedin Airport said it all as the Highlanders departed yesterday for the big final against the Blues.

The teams will meet in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final at Eden Park in Auckland tonight.

An Airbus A321neo, which can carry up to 40 more passengers than the usual Airbus A320s that service the Dunedin-Auckland route, took off yesterday afternoon, the first of six such flights to help get Highlanders fans to the game.

Excited Dunedin local Phil Noye said he was flying up to see the action.

Highlander Kazuki Himeno is farewelled by his ‘‘adoptive mother’’, Gillian Sugiyama.

"I went to the 2015 final game. It was a fantastic game, so hopefully it’s going to be a repeat this year."

Dunedin restaurateur Gillian Sugiyama, who runs Takeichi in central Dunedin, said she called herself the "adoptive mother" of Highlander Kazuki Himeno because he came to the Japanese restaurant so often. She was at the airport to see him off and wish him well.

"It’s absolutely exciting. We decorated the restaurant window, Takeichi, in support of them."