Air New Zealand, New Zealand’s National Carrier, announced that it would retire all 777-200/300 aircraft would be phased out by 2026.
In a meeting with investors over the weekend, they announced that their 777-200ER aircraft would be retired with immediate effect and would never fly for the airline again, after being put into long-term storage in 2020 following the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. This news comes after ANZ reported an After-Tax loss of $289 Million NZD ($202 Million USD), reflecting a full year flying in the pandemic.
Air New Zealand also announced that the 777-300 would be phased out by 2027, and replaced by the 787 Dreamliner. Air New Zealand currently operates eight 777-200ER, seven 777-33ER & Fourteen 787 Dreamliner aircraft with 8 on order with delivery from 2024. By 2027 they will only operate the 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A320, A321, ATR72 & Bombardier Q300 Aircraft.
Air New Zealand has also indicated its interest in electric, hybrid and/or hydrogen aircraft for domestic use.
While this news may seem sudden, it was expected. After they reported a Before-Tax loss of 440 Million NZD, and that they had already put most of their long-haul aircraft into storage it was only a matter of time that they retired their ageing 777 fleet.
Very unfortunate, but it was obvious that they were going to have to retire them anyway due to the worsening pandemic and it’s least fuel efficient in the fleet which costed the airline more. However I’ve been fortunate enough to fly on the 777-200ER series about 5 times and hoping to fly 777- 300ER before it goes.
Yeah by 2027 they won’t have the 777 series, They fleet will consist with 787, A320 family(A320, A321) , ATR72 and maybe Q300 (they are trying find electric alternative replacement aircraft).
short haul turboprop, basically flights to locations under 40ish minutes from a major airport, or smaller airports that don’t have the demand for a larger aircraft but still have routes
