Air New Zealand expects to operate seven Boeing 787-9s with new cabin interiors by end-2025, as retrofit works on its first aircraft continue apace.

Airline chief Greg Foran, speaking to reporters in Singapore, says the airline is hoping to operate its first retrofitted 787 in mid-February next year.

Foran was in Singapore visiting the facilities of ST Engineering, who are undertaking retrofit works for 14 Air New Zealand 787s.

Thereafter, a second 787 will be inducted in February for a cabin refresh, and the remaining fleet to follow on a rolling basis. Air New Zealand expects the programme to complete by end-2026.

The retrofitted 787 will likely operate Auckland-Vancouver flights after its return to service, says Foran, as well as to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

The first 787-9 (ZK-NZH) was inducted at ST Engineering’s airframe MRO facility in Singapore in October. The aircraft is a 9-year-old example powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Trent 1000s.

The upgraded 787s will seat 272 passengers across four classes: economy, premium economy, business classes, as well as a newly introduced Business Premier Luxe class with a suite-like product.

It is a reduction from current configurations which seat between 275 and 302 passengers, with more seats in business and premium economy classes.

Air New Zealand has tapped on ZIM Aircraft Seating for economy and premium economy, while Safran will be manufacturing seats for business class.

The cabin refresh programme forms part of a significant NZ$3.5 billion ($2.06 billion) investment the Star Alliance carrier announced in 2023, covering fleet, interiors and marketing.

According to Foran, plans to upgrade its 787-9 interiors were floated years before 2022, when the airline first disclosed new interiors. In between, he says the airline has had to navigate the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the subsequent supply chain issues still affecting the aviation sector.  

Foran also confirms the new products will feature on 8 787s the airline has on order. A “selected number” of the new GE Aerospace GEnx-powered jets will feature an even lower seat density, at just 219 seats, with more seats in premium classes

These new aircraft, which will operate the airline’s ultra-long-haul flights from New Zealand to cities like New York, will also come fitted with the SkyNest in-flight bunk bed concept.

Foran also hints that Air New Zealand might update the business class cabin on its Boeing 777-300ERs. The airline has 10 in service now, including three on lease from Cathay Pacific. 

Foran says the 777s will “stay in the fleet for longer than initially planned”, as part of efforts to manage ongoing aircraft availability issues, and expects to only retire the fleet around 2031-2032. 

He adds that the airline will look at “the right point in time” to update the business class seats on the 777s. 

”[If] we’re going to keep these planes for a bit longer, we think – particularly for those business class customers – giving them a better seat, a little bit more privacy…would be a good solution. So that’s something we’re working through now,” says Foran.