Air New Zealand Looks to the 787-10 to Lead Long Haul Flights into the Future
A significant order of 787-10 Dreamliner models from Boeing seal the carrier’s commitment to route expansion and fuel savings
Looking to fly a new fleet of widebody aircraft between Aukland and New York, Air New Zealand is inking deals with Boeing to add eight super-efficient 787-10 Dreamliners to its growing collection. The deal is valued at $2.7 billion and is targeting a delivery date in 2025.
The carrier, known for its global network and long-range operations, says the 787-10 complements its current 787-9 and 777 fleet by offering more seats and greater efficiency to grow its business.
“This is a hugely important decision for our airline. With the 787-10 offering around 15 percent more space for both customers and cargo than the 787-9, this investment creates the platform for our future strategic direction and opens up new opportunities to grow,” said Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Christopher Luxon. “The 787-10 is longer and even more fuel efficient. However, the game changer for us has been that by working closely with Boeing, we’ve ensured the 787-10 will meet our network needs, including the ability to fly missions similar to our current 777-200 fleet.”
The 787-10 is the largest member of the super-efficient and passenger-pleasing Dreamliner family. At 224 feet long (68 meters), the 787-10 can serve up to 330 passengers in a standard two-class configuration, about 40 more than the 787-9 airplane. Powered by a suite of new technologies and a revolutionary design, the 787-10 set a new benchmark for fuel efficiency and operating economics when it entered commercial service last year. The airplane allows operators to achieve 25 percent better fuel efficiency per seat compared to the previous airplanes.
Air New Zealand was a global launch customer for the 787-9 and today operates 13 of those Dreamliner models. With another 787-9 on the way and the 787-10 airplanes in the future, the airline’s Dreamliner fleet will grow to 22. Air New Zealand’s widebody fleet also includes seven 777-300ERs and eight 777-200ERs. The carrier’s wide-body fleet comprises seven B777-300ERs, eight B777-200ERs, and 13 B787-9s. A 14th Boeing 787-9 is expected to join the airline’s fleet this year.
The new Boeing 787-10 entered commercial service last year as Singapore Airlines chose to launch its new regional business class seat product on the aircraft. Dutch carrier KLM and Japan’s ANA have also unveiled new business class seats for their own 787-10s.
The 787-10 models are expected to be 25 per cent more fuel efficient than the aircraft they’re replacing and have the potential to save 190,000 tons of carbon per year.
