Image and story from Air New Zealand
Auckland, new Zealand, July 3, 2026 – Air New Zealand has welcomed back its final Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from long-term storage, marking a major milestone in the airline’s response to one of the most significant global supply chain challenges facing aviation in recent years.
For the first time since the global Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine shortage impacted aircraft availability, Air New Zealand now has no widebody aircraft in storage. At the peak of the engine shortage, the airline had five of its fourteen Boeing 787-9 aircraft grounded.
Air New Zealand GM Fleet Baden Smith says the milestone is one step closer to having the full Dreamliner fleet operational.
Air New Zealand worked with partners to carry out Trent 1000 engine changes in Alice Springs, allowing engines to be removed and sent for overhaul while the aircraft remained safely in storage.