Air New Zealand has welcomed home its first retrofitted Boeing 787 Dreamliner following a comprehensive “world-first” upgrade in Singapore.
The aircraft, ZK-NZH, touched down in Auckland yesterday after spending six months abroad for a “nose-to-tail” retrofit of an all-new cabin interior.
Passengers will get their first taste of the upgraded plane when it returns to service in mid-May.
All 14 of the airline’s 787s will be retrofitted with the new layout by the end of 2026.
Air New Zealand chief commercial officer Jeremy O’Brien said it’s an exciting moment.
“Seeing the first of our 14 Dreamliners to undergo this transformation arrive home is a huge moment for our people, our customers, and the future of Air New Zealand. We’re so proud to deliver this new experience for those who fly with us,” he said..
“Now the aircraft is back on home soil, it will undergo final preparations including testing of its new in-flight entertainment system, and a full crew ground trial to rehearse onboard service before welcoming customers on board for the first time in mid-May.”
The airline said the second 787 to be retrofitted with new interiors is already undergoing work in Singapore, with seven aircraft expected to be completed by year-end.
‘Ultimate cabin glow-up’
The first of the upgraded Dreamliners was originally expected to be back in service by September or October last year, but was pushed to February after delays.
Air New Zealand said the new plane had received the “ultimate cabin glow-up”.
Upgrades included a brand new tier of business class seats, dubbed “Business Premier Luxe”, which have additional legroom, sliding privacy doors, and more space.
Business Premier, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins also received upgrades.
An upgraded Business Premier includes companion-friendly options in middle rows, while Premium Economy has been redesigned with improved privacy and a recline that doesn’t bother passengers seated in the row behind.
Economy seats now feature expanded storage compartments and larger entertainment screens with Bluetooth audio capability.
In other additions to its revamped cabins, there will be a new “Sky Pantry” offering refreshments for economy and premium economy ticket holders.
The cabins were first unveiled in June 2022.
But the first of the upgraded jets will also not feature the airline’s much-hyped lie-flat sleep pods, marketed as Skynest, which will instead are expected to be ready in 2026.
1News Katie Bradford takes a tour of the new cabin. (Source: 1News)