Plane will begin serving customers in mid-May

Air New Zealand’s first retrofitted Boeing 787-9 has arrived in Auckland. The aircraft spent the past 184 days in Singapore as it was retrofitted with all-new cabin interiors, including the new Business Premier Luxe seat, and redesigned Business Premier, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins. The plane is the first in the airline’s 787-9 fleet to undergo what the carrier calls “the world-first, full nose-to-tail retrofit.”

Jeremy O’Brien, chief commercial officer, said, “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.”  With the aircraft back on home soil, he said, it will undergo final preparations, including testing of its new inflight 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 second 787-9 to be retrofitted with the new interiors is already in Singapore, undergoing work, with a total of seven aircraft expected to be completed by the end of the year. All 14 Boeing 787-9s will be updated to the new cabin layout by the end of 2026.