Air New Zealand (NZ, Auckland International) is looking to lease an additional B777-300ER just days after it reactivated the last of its type after parking them during the pandemic. New Zealand's Stuff portal reports that the carrier is in "final negotiations" to acquire another widebody Boeing to capitalise on fast growing passenger demand around the Pacific rim.

This follows the carrier pulling its final parked B777-300(ER) out of long term storage at Victorville on April 1, and ferrying it to Singapore Changi for maintenance. ZK-OKM (msn 38405) had spent over 850 days in storage, one of four B777-300(ER)s Air New Zealand sent to California to ride out the pandemic, while the remaining three of the type were parked at Auckland International.

After ferrying in from Singapore on May 10, ZK-OKM returned to revenue service the following day, flying a Auckland - Nadi - Auckland rotation on May 11. Air New Zealand presently deploys its seven strong fleet of B777-300(ER)s on sectors to Houston Intercontinental, Apia Faleolo, San Francisco, Sydney Kingsford Smith, Melbourne Tullamarine, and Los Angeles International, while its B787-9 fleet concentrates on ports in Asia and Australia.

An Air New Zealand spokesperson told ch-aviation that details about the incoming B777-300(ER) were still being finalised and would be announced in the near future.