Air New Zealand will add four new aircraft to their regional and short-haul fleet from late 2024, including two ATR 72-600 turboprops and two new Airbus A321neos. The fleet expansion will add 768,000 seats annually.
On Thursday (August 24, 2023), Air New Zealand announced an expansion of their regional and short-haul fleet with the addition of four new aircraft from late 2024, including two ATR 72-600s and two Airbus A321neos. The two additional 68-seat ATR aircraft will add 5,700 additional weekly seats to regional destinations such as Tauranga and Nelson, while the 214-seat A321neos will be configured for international flying, adding over 9,000 weekly seats on Tasman and Pacific Island routes. With the four new aircraft, between 2024 and 2028 Air New Zealand will add 16 new aircraft to their fleet, including eight Boeing 787 Dreamliners, six Airbus A321s and two ATR 72-600s. The carrier will also soon announce plans to lease an additional Boeing 777-300ER, expanding their fleet total of the type to eight.
In Thursday’s announcement, Air New Zealand’s Chief Executive Officer, Greg Foran, said,
"Flying continues to be in high demand, both here and around the world and it means prices have been higher than usual. The most effective thing we can do to help customers is to welcome more aircraft into our fleet and put more seats in the sky. While adding more seats is an important part of working to reduce prices, like all New Zealand businesses our costs continue to rise significantly in many areas, and the reality is that airfares are unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels. Our customers have supported us as we've rebuilt Air New Zealand and we know it's important to offer a range of fares that are accessible to all New Zealanders. Investing in new aircraft means more seats available at more times and at reasonable prices.
“Domestically we're almost back to pre-Covid capacity, flying an average of 425 flights per day to 20 destinations across Aotearoa. These new aircraft mean that our domestic airline will be the larger than it's ever been. We also have two previously announced domestic A321neo aircraft due for delivery in the next 12 months. We're pulling every lever we have to get more seats in the sky, as quickly and as safely possible.”
Air New Zealand will resume daily service between Auckland and Perth from October 19, 2023, after a period of operation in partnership with the Spanish airline, Wamos Air.
In a separate press release on Thursday (August 24, 2023), ATR announced that Air New Zealand’s agreement includes firm orders for two ATR 72-600s plus options for two more. The aircraft will be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW127XT engines, delivering an additional 3.0 percent reduction in fuel use compared to the previous engine version.
Speaking on the ATR order, Air New Zealand’s General Manager – Fleet Strategy and Delivery, Baden Smith, said,
“Our ATR 72-600s are an integral part of Air New Zealand’s domestic network. Due to New Zealand’s short range, highly connected network, the ATR aircraft are perfect in keeping Kiwis connected across the 20 ports we fly between. With demand for air travel high, particularly in New Zealand, we’re thrilled to be welcoming two new ATR aircraft into our fleet from late 2024.”
ATR’s Senior Vice President of Commercial, Alexis Vidal, added,
“ATR’s relationship with Air New Zealand is invaluable. Over the years, we have grown, innovated and pushed the boundaries of regional air transport together. The reason is that we make the perfect match: to thrive in New Zealand, an aircraft needs to be versatile, efficient, and therefore low-emission. It comes as no surprise that Air New Zealand operates the fourth largest ATR fleet in the world. We are truly grateful for their renewed trust.”
Founded in 1940, Air New Zealand first took flight with service between Auckland and Sydney with a flying boat. World-renowned for their warm Kiwi hospitality, the airline currently has a fleet of 104 aircraft, including Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Airbus A320 Family and ATR and Q300 (De Havilland Canada Dash 8-300) aircraft. The carrier connects 20 different regions in New Zealand, and offers international service to major cities across Australia, Asia the Pacific Islands and the U.S.
Source(s): Air New Zealand, ATR