Engine worries force fuel stops
Long-haul fliers on Air New Zealand Dreamliners are having to accept ‘‘dog legs’’ on some flights for refuelling.
Following revelations that some components in the Trent 1000 Rolls-Royce engines were wearing out sooner than expected, thousands of Air New Zealand passengers have had flights cancelled or rescheduled, so that nine of the airline’s 11 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners can undergo checks and maintenance.
Now some long-haul flights on the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners are doing ‘‘dog legs’’ on their routes in order to land and refuel.
Air New Zealand said the refuelling stops were a strategy to avoid having to reduce the amount of cargo and the number of passengers it can take.
Dreamliners equipped with the Rolls Royce engines are subject to an order from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) preventing them from being operated in conditions that would accelerate the wear on the engines.
Air New Zealand spokeswoman Anna Cross said the FAA directive required two things: The affected planes have to fly within 140 minutes of the nearest suitable airport and reduce the maximum weight that can be carried.
‘‘Complying with the weight limitation means that flights with a full contingent of customers and cargo may not be able to load sufficient fuel for the whole journey,’’ Cross said.
The issue came to light on Saturday when an Air New Zealand flight to Narita, Japan, was forced to return to Auckland at the weekend due to an airconditioning system issue.
The flight was to have stopped in Guam for refuelling. Darwin is also being used for refuelling on some flights to Singapore.
Cancellations and rescheduled flights have affected about 6500 Air New Zealand passengers so far.
Fifteen flights during April 20-29 have been cancelled, and 28 flights have been rescheduled.