Seating on Air New Zealand’s eagerly anticipated, retrofitted 787-9 Dreamliner is attracting much attention at TRENZ in Rotorua.

The world-first retrofitted 787-9 Dreamliner ZK-NZH is in Auckland undergoing final testing before it takes to the skies for the first time on Monday, May 19, flying Auckland to Brisbane. Later that evening, the aircraft will complete its first long-haul service from Auckland to San Francisco.

TRENZ delegates visited the Air New Zealand stand to try out the comfy seats featured on the aircraft. The many innovations include the ability to pair your Bluetooth audio device to the 4K HD screen in front of you in all classes—a great boon to the growing number of travellers who tote their noise-cancelling headphones.

Travellers keen to try the whole in-flight experience can now book seats on the new Air New Zealand service.

At TRENZ, Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran said it was an incredibly special moment to launch the future of flying with Air New Zealand.

“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 complete 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.

“As the national carrier, it’s 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 in Singapore, undergoing its retrofit. Seven aircraft are expected to be completed by the end of the year. By the end of 2026, all 14 Boeing 787-9s in Air New Zealand’s fleet will be updated to the new cabin layout.

Customers can expect an elevated experience throughout the aircraft, with new seats in every cabin, an all-new in-flight entertainment system, larger in-flight entertainment screens, clever stowage options, and additional privacy in the premium cabins.

Aircraft featuring the new cabin experience will fly predominantly between Auckland and Brisbane, San Francisco, Rarotonga, and Vancouver, with more routes to follow as retrofits are completed.

The new cabin experience includes:

Business Premier

Air New Zealand’s new Business Premier seats have a new angle and layout, giving additional privacy and space.

• Sliding privacy screens, wireless charging, and a 24-inch (61cm) in-flight entertainment screen
• Middle seats with a sliding divider, perfect for travel companions
• Full lie-flat recline with a clever headrest lift for prime movie-watching or mid-flight novels

Business Premier Luxe

Four all-new seats in the front row of the Business Premier cabin. Business Premier Luxe can be booked as a paid seat select product when purchasing a Business Premier seat.

It has all the features of Business Premier, along with:

• Full closing door, a larger bed, and additional space with room for two to dine

Premium Economy

The airline’s new Premium Economy gives customers extra privacy and thoughtful storage to help make the space their own.

• All seats have a fixed outer shell, meaning a passenger’s recline doesn’t impact the person behind them.
• Side wings on the seat provide extra privacy
• More storage space keeps travel essentials within easy reach

Economy

Air New Zealand says you don’t need to turn left to experience the future of flying.

• 50% bigger inflight entertainment screens, clever little snack trays, and the new Economy Stretch option for the legs
• Clever stowage options include a small tray table for snacks or a phone, and an elastic holder for a passport or papers

Digital Innovation & Inflight Entertainment

There’s digital innovation in every cabin, including:

• 4K HD screens with Bluetooth audio pairing
• Use your phone like a remote, build a watchlist, track your flight, or multitask with Picture-in-Picture functionality.

 

 

 

Written by Peter Needham at TRENZ in Rotorua, New Zealand

 

 

 

 

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