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Air New Zealand has returned the last of its 14 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft to service following engine overhauls.
ZK-NZD flew out of Alice Springs on 28 June, having been in long-term storage since September while its Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines were repaired, and operated its first commercial flight since last August on 30 June as NZ8 from Auckland to San Francisco.
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“With the completion of our retrofit programme and the delivery of our two new Boeing 787-9 aircraft by the end of this year, we’ll see targeted growth in widebody capacity over the next two years,” said Air New Zealand’s GM of fleet, Baden Smith.
“This additional capacity opens up opportunities across our network, including our recently announced services between Christchurch and Singapore, Tokyo and Perth.
“As the country’s national airline, our focus isn’t just growth; it’s building a resilient, future-fit airline that keeps New Zealand connected to the world. Every aircraft we return to the fleet strengthens our ability to connect people, support trade and grow tourism.”
The Kiwi carrier carried out the engine changes in Alice Springs, allowing the aircraft to be safely stored while the work was undertaken.
The completion of the program represents the success of a “complex and coordinated programme of work”, according to Air New Zealand fleet project lead Robert Cox.
“The challenge wasn’t just finding somewhere to store the aircraft. We needed to keep them maintained, protect the condition of the fleet and keep the engine overhaul programme moving so we could get these aircraft back into service for our customers as soon as possible,” he said.
“Long-term aircraft parking is limited in Auckland and New Zealand’s climate isn’t ideal for extended aircraft storage, so Alice Springs became the preferred location for the grounded Dreamliners.
“Carrying out engine changes in Alice Springs was a significant logistical challenge, but it helped us get engines into the shop at least six months earlier than if they had remained on the aircraft.”
The news comes after Air New Zealand in May launched ticket sales for its Skynest sleeping pods on long-haul 787-9 services.
The bunk bed-style pods, located between the economy and premium economy cabins, will be limited to one session per passenger, though families on the same ticket will be able to book separate sessions for each person pending availability.
The launch date was pushed back due to delays in the delivery of Air New Zealand’s new Dreamliners, though its refurbishment program on the existing fleet has been proceeding, with the first of the refitted 787-9s beginning commercial services in May 2025.
Air New Zealand is expecting delivery of two of its 10 new Dreamliners this year, while the airline has also signalled the near completion of its A320neo fleet maintenance, with only two of the aircraft now still grounded due to Pratt & Whitney engine overhauls.
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