Air New Zealand fleet

Air New Zealand's Airbus A320s operate short-haul routes, both domestically and internationally.

Air New Zealand was the launch customer for the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, shown here landing at its launch destination Perth Airport in Australia; the first was delivered to the airline in July 2014.

The Air New Zealand mainline fleet consists of Boeing jet aircraft for long-haul flights, and Airbus jet aircraft for domestic- and short-haul international flights. Its two wholly owned subsidies, Mount Cook Airline and Air Nelson, operate ATR 72 and Bombardier Q300 turboprop aircraft respectively.

Current fleet

As of 1 April 2017 the Air New Zealand fleet consists of the following aircraft:^[1]

As of 1 April 2017, Air New Zealand and its wholly owned subsidiaries currently operate a total of 104 aircraft.^[1] Air New Zealand's subsidiaries operate turboprop aircraft on regional domestic services. Two types of aircraft are used, each belonging to a single subsidiary. Mount Cook Airline operates 27 ATR 72 aircraft between major cities and towns. The 23 Air Nelson-operated Bombardier Q300s operate other routes alongside Mount Cook Airline, including to some smaller centres. A third subsidiary, Eagle Airways, operated smaller turboprops but ceased operations in 2016

The Boeing customer code for Air New Zealand was 19, which was inherited from the National Airways Corporation on its merger with Air New Zealand in 1978 (Air New Zealand itself didn't own any Boeing aircraft before 1978). This means a Boeing 777-200ER built for Air New Zealand was designated a 777-219ER. Since the introduction of the Boeing 787, Boeing no longer uses customer codes.

Airbus A320-200

Air New Zealand introduced the Airbus A320-200 (also retroactively known as the A320ceo after the introduction of the Airbus A320neo) in 2003, and was the first non-Boeing aircraft in Air New Zealand's jet fleet since the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 was withdrawn in 1982. The A320-200 was introduced to replace the Boeing 767-200ER and the Boeing 737-300 on short-haul international routes to eastern Australia and the Pacific Islands.

On 3 November 2009, Air New Zealand announce it would purchase fourteen more Airbus A320-200 aircraft to replace the Boeing 737-300 fleet on domestic routes. This allowed the airline to have a single aircraft family operating on all short-haul flights.^[7]

The international A320s were originally fitted with 8 business class seats and 144 economy class seats; in 2010 they were refitted with a 168-seat all-economy cabin to coincide with a new fare structure on flights to Australia and the Pacific Islands. The domestic A320s were fitted in a 171-seat all-economy configuration at entry into service.

All Air New Zealand Airbus A320-200 aircraft are powered by IAE V2527-A5 turbofan engines.

Airbus A320neo and A321neo

At the start of June 2014, Air New Zealand announced it would be placing a NZ$1.6 billion order with Airbus for nine Airbus A320neo and four Airbus A321neo aircraft. The aircraft will be introduced from 2017 to replace the airline's older Airbus A320s.^[4][8] The airline has selected the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G geared turbofan engine to power its A320neo fleet.^[9] In June 2017, delivery of the A320neo aircraft was delayed until 2018 due to Airbus having issues scaling up the production of the Pratt & Whitney powered variant.^[5]

Boeing 777-200ER

Air New Zealand introduced the Boeing 777-200ER in 2004.

In 2014-15, all eight aircraft were refurbished at a cost of $100 million. The in flight entertainment system was upgraded along with new cabin furniture. The Premium Economy cabin was refitted with new recliner seats in a 2-4-2 configuration and increased from 36 to 40 seats, while the economy cabin was refitted in a 3-4-3 configuration, with the 242 seats replaced with 54 Economy Skycouch seats and 192 regular economy seats. In all, the total seats on board was increased from 304 to 312.^[10]

In June 2017, Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxon announced the airline was investigating new aircraft to eventually replace the 777-200ER fleet. Long list replacement options include the Boeing 777X-8 and 777X-9, the Boeing 787-10, and the Airbus A350-1000.^[5]

Boeing 777-300ER

Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER, registration ZK-OKR, at London Heathrow Airport

Air New Zealand introduced the Boeing 777-300ER in 2010 to replace the Boeing 747-400 on long-haul routes. The model was introduced to the flagship London Heathrow-Los Angeles-Auckland route (NZ1/NZ2) in April 2011.

The 777-300ER was the first aircraft to feature the Economy Skycouch and the Premium Economy Spaceseat. As introduced, the Aircraft had 338 seats - 44 business, 50 premium economy, 60 Economy Skycouch seats and 192 regular economy seats. Shortly after introduction, one premium economy row was removed, reducing the premium economy seats to 44 and the total seats on-board to 332.

In February 2017, Air New Zealand began refurbishing the aircraft. The Premium Economy Spaceseat product is being phased out and replaced with the Premium Economy product as found on the 777-200ER and the 787-9, with recliner seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. The refit will increase the number of premium economy seats from 44 to 54 seats and the total seats on board from 332 to 342.^[6]

Boeing 787-9

In 2004 the airline ordered eight Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners as the launch customer for the 787-9 model, with options on ten more. These were originally intended to be delivered beginning in late 2010,^[11] but significant development delays in the base 787-8 model pushed delivery on the 787-9 out to mid-2014. In February 2013, Air New Zealand exercised two options to bring the order to ten, and on 8 December 2014 exercised two more to bring the order to twelve. In February 2017, Air New Zealand announced with Air Lease Corporation a long term lease for one new 787-9. It is scheduled to be delivered during the third quarter of 2018. The last 787-9 is expected to be delivered in late 2018.^[12]

The first aircraft (ZK-NZE) was handed over to Air New Zealand on 8 July 2014 at the Everett plant, and arrived in Auckland three days later.^[13] The first 787-9 service operated on 9 August 2014, from Auckland to Sydney and return.^[14]

The first nine 787-9 aircraft are fitted with 18 Business, 21 Premium Economy, 42 Economy Skycouch and 221 standard economy seats, totalling 302 seats. The last four will have a higher premium seating configuration, with 27 Business, 33 Premium Economy, 39 Economy Skycouch and 176 standard economy seats, totalling 275 seats.^[6]

Historic fleet

The Boeing 747-200 was introduced in 1981; the 747, both -200 and -400 variants, was a mainstay of Air New Zealand's fleet until the early 2010s.

Air New Zealand introduced its first Boeing 767 in 1985; the last was withdrawn from service in 2017.

In the past, Air New Zealand has flown the following aircraft (not including aircraft solely operated by TEAL and NAC, or aircraft operated solely by Air New Zealand Link subsidiaries):^[15]

Fleet as of 1 April 1978

The following was the Air New Zealand fleet on 1 April 1978, the day the merged Air New Zealand and National Airways Corporation began operating.

References