Air New Zealand (NZ, Auckland International) has announced that due to the "ongoing challenges" it is "experiencing as a result of the issues affecting the Rolls-Royce engines powering" its B787-9 fleet, it will terminate its seasonal route linking Auckland International and Ho Chi Minh City effective October 23. The carrier will instead revert to offering codeshare connections with partner airlines via Singapore Changi and Hong Kong International.
In addition, the airline's Chief Revenue Officer Cam Wallace also said that demand on the route did not meet expectations.
Starting October 29, Air New Zealand will also move its three times weekly B787-9 between Auckland and Tokyo Haneda to Tokyo Narita consolidating its operations there and offering a total of ten weekly flights to Narita. Airline Route is reporting that the move has been caused by slot issues at Haneda.
Overall, Air New Zealand currently has three out of thirteeen B787-9s on the ground in Auckland because of the endurance issues affecting Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 powerplants. Its latest aircraft, ZK-NKO (msn 39296) has just been delivered on dry-lease from Air Lease Corporation.
