Air New Zealand Drops Leased 777s Ahead of 787 Fleet Stability
Air New Zealand has announced plans to remove three Boeing 777-300ERs from its fleet by 2028. The aircraft were acquired on a dry lease in late 2023 and early 2024, when additional widebody capacity was needed due to reliability issues with the airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
The leased Boeing 777-300ERs had served as a temporary solution to Air New Zealand's capacity woes. The aircraft were acquired from Cathay Pacific and had a cabin that matched the Hong Kong-based carrier. Under the agreement, Air New Zealand could place the widebody aircraft into service quickly while using its own cabin crew.
As the Boeing 787 operation stabilizes, the airline no longer needs the leased 777-300ERs. The removal of these aircraft will bring an end to a short-term solution that was only expected to last until stability could be achieved with the 787 fleet.