Boeing celebrated the first B787-9 Dreamliner delivery on 9 July with launch customer Air New Zealand in Seattle. About 1000 Boeing employees representing the B787 programme joined Air New Zealand executives and guests at a celebration of this milestone event.
The airline said it was proud to be the launch customer for the B787-9. “We believe it will be a game-changer for Air New Zealand, with increased levels of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort. We look forward to inviting our customers on board to experience the aircraft and all of its benefits for themselves.”
Air New Zealand’s Rolls-Royce powered B787-9s are part of the airline’s fleet modernisation effort, and this first B787-9 is painted in the airline’s black livery. It will first operate the Auckland–Perth route in October and to both Tokyo and Shanghai in November.
The B787-9 complements and extends the B787 family. With a fuselage stretch of 20ft (6m) over the B787-8, the B787-9 will fly up to 40 more passengers an additional 450nm (830km) with the same environmental performance — 20 percent less fuel use and 20 percent fewer emissions than similarly sized airliners.
Twenty-six airline and leasing customers have ordered 409 B787-9s, accounting for 40 percent of all 787 orders. ZK-NZE, Air New Zealand’s first (of 10) Boeing B787-9s landed in Auckland late in the afternoon following a direct delivery flight from Seattle on 11 July, to be greeted by more than 50 Air New Zealand staff performing a rousing haka.
-Report and photography by Andrew Underwood.