Air New Zealand Dreamliner delay pushes back Skynest launch

Air New Zealand’s Skynest sleeping pods may not be available for passengers until 2025, with the carrier’s order of eight new 787-9 Dreamliners delayed. In a statement announcing Air New Zealand’s half-year results, CEO Greg Foran confirmed that the new 787-9s, which will add to the carrier’s current fleet of 14 Dreamliners and feature the Skynests, are not likely to arrive until next year. Skynest was intended to launch in September this year on flights from Auckland to Chicago. Available for $400-$600 NZD, the bunk bed-style pods, located between the economy and premium economy cabins, will be limited to one session per passenger, though families on the same ticket will be able to book separate sessions for each person pending availability. “Boeing has now confirmed that the first of the new 787 Dreamliners is unlikely to arrive until at least mid-2025, which will delay delivery of our innovative new Skynest. The interior retrofit of our current 787 fleet remains on track,” said Foran. “To mitigate these challenges, we introduced a dry lease 777-300ER in November. A second dry lease 777-300ER will enter the fleet mid-year and we are well advanced on negotiations for a third.” The airline reported $185m NZD in earnings before tax for the first half of FY2024, translating to $129m net profit after tax, with $3.1b in passenger revenue driven by what it called a “significant ramp-up in capacity across the international network”.<br/>