Air New Zealand marks Dreamliner milestone as final aircraft returns from storage

For the first time since the global Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine shortage impacted aircraft availability, Air New Zealand now has no widebody aircraft in storage. At the peak of the engine shortage, the airline had five of its fourteen Boeing 787-9 aircraft grounded.

Air New Zealand GM Fleet Baden Smith says the milestone is one step closer to having the full Dreamliner fleet operational.

"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.

"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.”

For Air New Zealand Fleet Project Lead Robert Cox, the milestone reflects the success of a complex and coordinated programme of work.

"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.

“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.”

Air New Zealand worked with partners to carry out Trent 1000 engine changes in Alice Springs, allowing engines to be removed and sent for overhaul while the aircraft remained safely in storage.

“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,” says Cox.

Air New Zealand’s narrowbody fleet is also nearly back in full service, with just two Airbus A320neo aircraft currently grounded due to challenges with the Pratt & Whitney engines, down from six at the peak of the disruption.

Editors Notes

• All fourteen 787-9 Dreamliners will have been retrofitted with the airline’s new cabin experience by the end of 2026
• The airline’s two new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners are scheduled to be delivered from Boeing by the end of this year

Issued by Air New Zealand Communications

Email: media@airnz.co.nz │ Phone: +64 21 747 320

About Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand’s story started in 1940, first taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat - a Short S30. Known for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has operating aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most efficient jets and turboprops. It’s a modern fuel-efficient fleet with an average age of 9.9 years. Air New Zealand’s global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. In 2024, the airline flew more than 16 million passengers. Air New Zealand was named 2025 World’s Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline’s laser-focus on safety.

Air New Zealand has a well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to 20 different regions around New Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to major cities across Australia, the Pacific Islands, Asia and North America, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners, offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on sustainability and its Sustainability Framework helps guide the airline’s efforts in tackling some of New Zealand’s and the world’s most complex challenges. Airpoints, Air New Zealand’s loyalty programme, is seen as the most valuable loyalty programme in New Zealand with more than 4 million members. It allows members to earn Airpoints Dollars™ and Status Points for VIP benefits in the air and on the ground. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.

About Star Alliance

The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, based on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition and seamless service. Since inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a focus on improving customer experience across the Alliance journey.

The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, and United.

Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 16,000 daily flights to almost 1,200 airports in 186 countries. Further connecting flights are offered by Star Alliance Connecting Partners Juneyao Airlines and THAI Smile Airways.

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