The first of Air New Zealand’s fully retrofitted B787s will make its international debut on 19 May between Auckland and Brisbane.
Seats for the carrier’s new 787 experience, the world’s first full retrofit of a Dreamliner, will go on sale on Wednesday, 7 May.
Air New Zealand revealed the first of its 14 Dreamliners to eventually feature the retrofit by the end of 2026 at a special preview event (attended by Karryon) on Monday in Auckland, where the refreshed plane is undergoing final testing before its inaugural flight to Australia.
Following its maiden journey on the same day, the jet will make its long-haul debut on a flight from Auckland to San Francisco.
Other routes to feature the retrofitted aircraft, seven of which are due for completion in 2025, are Auckland-Rarotonga (Cook Islands) and Auckland-Vancouver (Canada), with more routes to be rolled out after that.
With the second of the carrier’s retrofitted 787s underway in Singapore, Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran hailed the launch as a truly special moment for the future of the airline, which celebrates it 85th anniversary in 2025.
“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,” he 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.”
Among those features are new seating designs, cutting-edge inflight entertainment systems featuring larger 4K HD screens with Bluetooth pairing, and smart storage solutions.
Premium cabins will offer increased privacy, including sliding screens in Business Premier and full closing doors in the exclusive Business Premier Luxe, while Premium Economy will feature fixed shells and side wings for added personal space.
Elsewhere, Economy will get a boost with bigger screens and innovative snack trays, plus the option of Economy Stretch for extra legroom.
Meanwhile, digital innovation will extend to using phones as remotes and picture-in-picture functionality on the IFE.
“As the national carrier, it’s an immense privilege to showcase the best of New Zealand, and this is woven into every detail of our cabin design – from the textures you touch to the spaces you relax in, every element is a nod to our home, Aotearoa.”
Air New Zealand’s first retrofitted Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner officially touched down in Auckland in April after its 184-day full interior revamp.
Stay tuned for more from Air New Zealand HQ in Auckland, as Karryon takes a special, first-hand look at the new B787.
For more info, visit www.airnewzealand.com.au.
