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Air New Zealand’s first retrofitted 787-9 Dreamliner will operate its inaugural passenger flight in two weeks, the airline has revealed.
ZK-NZH, which returned from its refit in Singapore last month, will fly from Auckland to Brisbane on 19 May before taking off for its first long-haul flight, from Auckland to San Francisco, later in the evening on the same day. The aircraft is currently undergoing final flight testing in Auckland.
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Cabin changes include new Business Premier and larger Business Premier Luxe seating; redesigned premium economy and economy seats; and an updated 4K in-flight entertainment system with Bluetooth connectivity and phone control.
“This aircraft spent 184 days in Singapore being retrofitted, the result of several years of extensive research, innovation, and design by our team to deliver a world-class onboard experience,” Greg Foran, chief executive of Air New Zealand, said.
“This is the first ever full nose-to-tail retrofit of a 787-9 Dreamliner and marks the introduction of our first new onboard product in over 15 years.
“We’ve completely reimagined the experience of flying with Air New Zealand, incorporating elegant design elements, innovative Kiwi touches, and features informed by feedback from thousands of customers.”
The retrofit cost a total of $36 million for one aircraft, and according to Jeremy O’Brien, chief commercial officer of Air New Zealand, the route map for the new product will gradually be expanded as more aircraft arrive.
“It will fly in our long-haul network, firstly to San Francisco and Vancouver, and then it will do some short haul flying – so, for instance, into Sydney or our Pacific Island destinations like Samoa or Rarotonga,” he said.
The retrofits, which will be performed on all 14 of Air New Zealand’s existing 787-9s, will not add the new Skynest economy sleeping pods; these will instead feature on its eight new Dreamliners expected to arrive from this year. The airline was the launch customer for the 787-9 in 2014.
According to Air New Zealand, all 14 Dreamliners are expected to complete their retrofits by the end of 2026. The second is currently undergoing its refit in Singapore, with seven expected to be complete by the end of this year.
Jetstar is also looking to refit its fleet of 787-8 Dreamliners starting this year, including a new exterior livery and new seats in the economy and business class cabins. Chief executive Stephanie Tully last year hinted that the overhaul could unlock destinations as far afield as Las Vegas and Cape Town.
