Air New Zealand unveils fully redesigned 787-9 Dreamliner
Passenger enjoying the redesigned 787-9 Dreamliner Business Class cabin
Air New Zealand has unveiled its fully redesigned 787-9 Dreamliner in Auckland, undergoing final testing before it takes to the skies for the first time on Monday, May 19, from Auckland to Brisbane. Later that evening, the aircraft will complete its first long-haul service from Auckland to San Francisco.
"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. 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,” said Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran.
He added: "As the national carrier, it is 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."
The airline's second 787-9 is up in Singapore undergoing its retrofit, with a total of seven aircraft expected to be completed by the end of the year. All 14 Boeing 787-9s in Air New Zealand's fleet will be updated to the new cabin layout by the end of 2026.
Passengers can expect an elevated experience throughout the aircraft, with new seats in every cabin, an all-new inflight entertainment system, larger inflight entertainment screens, clever stowage options and additional privacy in the premium cabins.
Air New Zealand’s Business Premier seats have a new angle and layout, providing additional privacy and space. The seats feature sliding privacy screens, wireless charging, a 24" inflight entertainment screen, middle seats with a sliding divider, perfect for travel companions, and full lie-flat recline with a clever headrest lift for prime movie-watching or mid-flight novels.
Business Premier Luxe features four all-new seats in the front row of the Business Premier cabin. Business Premier Luxe will be available as a paid seat select product when purchasing a Business Premier seat.
It has all the features of Business Premier, along with a full closing door, a larger bed and additional space with room for two to dine.
Air New Zealand’s Premium Economy gives passengers more privacy and storage to help make the space their own. All seats have a fixed outer shell, meaning the recline does not impact the person behind. The seat also has side wings to provide extra privacy andn more storage space to keep essentials within easy reach.
In Economy, passengers can expect 50 percent bigger inflight entertainment screens, snack trays and the new Economy Stretch option for more legroom. Stowage options include a small tray table for snacks or phones and an elastic holder for travellers’ passport or papers
For inflight entertainment in every cabin, passengers can enjoy 4K HD screens with Bluetooth audio pairing to use their phones like a remote, build a watchlist, track the flight or multitask with Picture-in-Picture functionality.
