First Upgraded Air New Zealand 787 Returns

After a lengthy retrofit, the first upgraded Boeing 787 at Air New Zealand has touched down in Auckland.

After spending 184 days in Singapore, 18 months of research, and 2,500 hours of testing, this new 787 cabin is the airline’s future.

The flagship 787 Dreamliner has all-new cabin interiors, including the new Business Premier Luxe seat and redesigned Business Premier, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins.

The specific aircraft that has undergone the works is ZK-NZH. However, this only represents the first unit to undergo the full nose-to-tail retrofit, with many more expected to follow.

Crews will now take final preparations to ensure the aircraft is fit to enter back into service. Moreover, the new in-flight entertainment will also be tested.

Air New Zealand is currently targeting a mid-May return to service for this newly refurbished 787 Dreamliner. Before this, it must conduct a required check that involves the ground crew trialling and rehearsing a turnaround.

While employees are familiar with the company, this is a new cabin with new features, and it’ll take time to adjust completely to the latest interior and functions of certain elements.

This is similar to when new aircraft types enter an airline’s operation for the first time, with crew familiarisation periods required to get employees up to speed with the latest technology.

Air New Zealand Already Looking Ahead

While Air New Zealand is excited about the return of the first retrofitted Boeing 787 to its home country and can now prepare for its re-entry into service, the work doesn’t stop there.

The New Zealand carrier has confirmed that the second aircraft with new interiors is already in Singapore, and work is currently ongoing to bring the state-of-the-art cabin to this plane, too.

This aircraft will then return to service with the hope that by year’s end, seven of the airline’s 787 Dreamliner fleet will have undergone a thorough retrofit if all goes according to plan.

While half of the Dreamliners will be completed this year, the carrier has confirmed its hopes to have all 14 787s, with the new cabin layout installed by the end of 2026.

These retrofits are necessary as Air New Zealand announced several years ago its intent to make the Dreamliner its flagship by retiring the 777 fleet and moving ahead with just one widebody series.

The retirement of the 777 has ultimately been more complicated than first imagined, primarily driven by supply chain woes. Still, the plan remains intact and is a matter of when rather than if.