A plane engine supply shortage affecting airlines around the world is prompting Air New Zealand to suspend its Auckland-Chicago non-stop service from 31 March to 25 October 2024.
The machinery in short supply is the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine, which Air New Zealand uses on its Boeing 787 aircraft.
Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty said that while the decision to pause Chicago flights was a difficult one to make, it impacts the fewest customers.
“We know this will be disappointing for customers travelling to and from Chicago during this period, especially to those travelling over the upcoming April holiday break,” she stated.
“It’s not a decision we’ve made lightly and we’re sorry to make this change so close to the time some customers plan to fly.”
Geraghty said the shortage of Rolls-Royce engines will mean the carrier will have up to three aircraft out of service for an “extended period” and therefore reassess its schedule.
“We made the tough decision to temporarily pause the Chicago route while maintaining our schedule of up to 35 flights each week to six ports across the US and Canada, so there are still plenty of options to get to Chicago, the US, and beyond,” she added.
The airline says passengers booked on its Chicago flights will be rerouted through another US airport to reach their destination.
Those who booked directly with the carrier will automatically get a new itinerary within 72 hours, while those who booked through travel advisors should reach out to their agents for itinerary changes. Flyers can choose between a full refund or keeping their booking as credit.
“Getting our customers to their destination safely is our number one priority and to do that, we need to ensure our aircraft and engines are maintained to the highest standard,” Geraghty remarked.
“These challenges do not present a safety risk to customers flying on our 787 fleet. We’d like to thank customers in advance for their patience and understanding as our teams work as fast as they can to make these changes.”
Agent advice
Starting today, schedule changes will be gradually updated in GDSs and PNRs will show a UN status.
Agents should check their queues for affected bookings, reach out to customers to discuss their choices and update bookings promptly.
Customers can choose to rebook following the Chicago Pause Policy or get a refund.
Air New Zealand warned of supply chain issues in its recent H1 FY24 results, in which it reported EBITDA profit of NZ$185 million (around AU$173 million).