Air New Zealand has welcomed back its final Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from long-term storage, marking a major milestone in the airline’s response to one of the most significant global supply chain challenges facing aviation in recent years.
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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 5 of its 14 Boeing 787-9 aircraft grounded.
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.
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.
