Air New Zealand: Further delivery delays and aircraft groundings exacerbate planning challenges

Air New Zealand is confronting a range of fleet headaches due to factors outside its control, which is complicating the carrier's planning and spurring short-term and long-term adjustments.

The airline's Boeing 787 delivery timetable has been hit by more delays, which will push back its transition to an all-787 widebody fleet. It is also prompting Air New Zealand to consider keeping its 777-300ERs longer than planned.

In the shorter term, the carrier is still coping with the grounding of several aircraft due to engine availability issues. And a cabin retrofit programme for its existing 787 fleet has been affected by minor delays due to supply chain problems.