Oh, what dreams may come
I’m sure a few four-letter words were flying around Air New Zealand’s headquarters this week. Through no fault of its own, its Dreamliner nightmare has potentially extended for another 18 months. There is a glimmer of good news, but more on that in a moment.
To recap, Air New Zealand first ordered the 787 Dreamliner in 2004. It was a revolutionary aircraft that would save fuel and deliver greater passenger comfort.
Then, in 2017, the nightmare began to unfold. A few minutes after takeoff from Auckland, an engine failed. That event started two years of turmoil as Dreamliners worldwide were grounded for earlier-than-expected engine checks.
Now, a new bombshell: more engines on its 787 fleet need urgent checking.
What’s worse is engine manufacturer RollsRoyce says the fix for this latest issue may not be ready until mid-2021. No airline wants a plane worth hundreds of millions of dollars sitting around sunbathing at Auckland International Airport.
Some 14,000 passengers have already had their Christmas plans upended, but I imagine many more thousands will be affected in the next 18 months.
But there’s also good news for the airline this week. Yesterday, after more than 20 years, Air New Zealand resumed flights to Seoul in South Korea. And it’s on a Dreamliner.
Yes, the aircraft’s engines have been problematic, but the plane itself has been a game-changer, delivering more range at less cost, it’s allowed Air New Zealand to open up routes that were previously uneconomic.
And more destinations are on the way. Air New Zealand has ordered a new fleet of even bigger Dreamliners (while ditching the Rolls-Royce engines) and that could open up exciting cities in India, the Philippines, Thailand and more routes in the Americas.
Today, I explore Air New Zealand’s latest destination, Seoul. My favourite place in Asia was always Tokyo, but on pages 4 and 5, I explain why that’s been dethroned by Korea’s capital.