Air New Zealand (NZ, Auckland International) has inked a deal with Air Lease Corporation to take a B777-300ER on a three-year operating lease. The 14.90-year-old jet, formerly leased to Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong International), was ferried into Auckland in mid-October, where it is undergoing maintenance before entering into service in mid-November.
Formerly B-KPJ (msn 36157), the B777 has been entered into the New Zealand aircraft registry as ZK-OKU. Cathay put the plane into deep storage at Alice Springs in September 2020, and while it was later moved from that airport, the aircraft never resumed operating scheduled flights for the Hong Kong carrier. Instead, it was returned to the lessor.
Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran told local media in September that the lease for the aircraft was about to be signed but he did not disclose where it was coming from. ZK-OKU will help ease a long-haul capacity shortfall at the carrier, which is awaiting the delivery of two B787-9s and six B787-10s. Foran also told journalists that he is scouting for a second B777-300ER to lease. Air New Zealand currently operates seven of the type. He wants the second B777 to help solve capacity issues caused by some Airbus neo jets going out of service because of the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine recall.
ZK-OKU will operate a 3x weekly Melbourne Tullamarine - Auckland - Houston Intercontinental - Auckland - Melbourne rotation. It will also fly a handful of services into Sydney Kingsford Smith in the second half of November. The aircraft's arrival is attracting local attention because it has superior premium cabins to the existing Air New Zealand long haul product. On the downside, there will be no inflight WiFi available to passengers onboard ZK-OKU because Air New Zealand does not have a contract to use the installed Panasonic system.
ZK-OKU's arrival also coincides with the cessation of a wet-lease agreement with Wamos Air (EB, Madrid Barajas) for them to operate an A330-200 on behalf of the kiwi carrier on the Auckland - Perth International sector. That service, which has been running since October 2022, ends on October 28, 2023, when Air New Zealand will put one of its own B787-9s back onto the route. The Wamos aircraft, EC-NBN (msn 818), was also popular with premium cabin passengers because of its superior seating product. Notwithstanding the boost provided by ZK-OKU, the return of the A330 to Spain is expected to put future pressure on Air New Zealand's widebody stock.
