Air New Zealand (NZ, Auckland International) has announced it has further delayed deliveries of the seventeen A320neo Family jets it plans to acquire.
In an Investor's Day presentation, the carrier said the arrival of its first of thirteen A320neo jets had been delayed from July 2017 to July 2018. Similarly, its first of four A321neo is now also scheduled to only arrive in September 2018.
As it stands, the revised delivery timetable will see Air New Zealand add six owned and four leased A320neo Family jets during its 2019 Financial Year (i.e. July 1, 2018, through to June 30, 2019). During its 2020 Financial Year (i.e. July 1, 2019, through to June 30, 2020) it will add two owned and one leased A320neo Family jets.
The delay will allow Air New Zealand to outfit the A321neos with a redesigned interior featuring 214 seats against the originally planned 209 seats.
Air New Zealand said it will extend existing lease periods on five A320ceo aircraft as a precaution against any delays in A320neo Family deliveries.