Air New Zealand (NZ, Auckland International) has adjusted its A32Q delivery schedule with only one aircraft, instead of three, planned to deliver during the period July 2020 to June 2021, Chief Financial Officer Jeff McDowall said during the most recent quarterly earnings call.
"Initially, delivery of the first three domestic units was expected in the 2021 financial year. However, we are now expecting to receive just one unit in the year with the other two units moving now into the 2022 financial year. We have also deferred two further units from 2022 to 2023," he said.
The airline already operates seven A321neo, which are deployed predominantly on international services to Australia and the Pacific Islands, although they also occasionally operate from Auckland International to Coconut Island and Wellington, the ch-aviation schedules module shows. It has a further seven of the type on order from Airbus, as well as another two from lessors. The latter are due to deliver after 2024.
Chief Executive Greg Foran added that the carrier also hoped to gradually reactivate more of its B787-9s, grounded due to issues with their Rolls-Royce Trent engines.
"We have three B787 aircraft out of action, which is in line with what we expected to have at this point. It is expected we will get down to two aircraft in the next couple of weeks, the first half of March, going down to one by the end of March," he said.
Air New Zealand has fourteen B787-9s in total of which ZK-NZD (msn 41989), ZK-NZE (msn 34334), and ZK-NZI (msn 37965) are grounded.
The airline also confirmed it expects the delivery of its first B787-10 in the financial year 2023. It has eight -10s on firm order from Boeing.
