Air New Zealand’s CEO Greg Foran warned investors that issues with grounded aircraft would likely worsen, predicting that up to 11 aircrafts, representing about 20pc of the airline’s fleet, would be out of service in the second half of 2025.
The airline has already seen operational impacts due to maintenance requirements on PW1100 and Rolls-Royce engines, with current groundings including five A321neo and three B787-9s, and further increases expected.
For the six months ending December 31, 2024, Air New Zealand reported a net profit of NZD106m (USD61m), but a 4pc reduction in network capacity brought on by grounded aircraft, leading to suspended flights to Seoul Incheon and Chicago O’Hare.
Additionally, delays in the delivery of new B787s and refurbishment of existing aircraft continue to impact operations, with Foran noting that compensation received from engine manufacturersly falls short of covering the financial burdens caused by these disruptions.
