Air New Zealand Targets 2027 Return for Grounded 787 Fleet

Air New Zealand expects to fully restore its grounded Boeing 787 fleet by 2027 as Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney engine maintenance backlogs gradually clear. The airline has been managing disrupted capacity and pulled routes since 2023 while awaiting engine overhauls and spare parts.

Two years is a long time to wait for your own planes back.

A Double Engine Problem With No Quick Fix

Air New Zealand got hit by a double-whammy, Pratt & Whitney PW1100G issues grounding its Airbus narrowbodies, and Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 problems sidelining its Boeing 787s. Both engine families, different manufacturers, same result, planes sitting on the ground instead of flying.

The Rolls-Royce problem alone dates back nearly ten years, when compressor and turbine blades began deteriorating on the Trent 1000, and manufacturers have been battling supply chain disruptions without meaningful relief ever since. At its worst, Air New Zealand had up to 11 aircraft grounded simultaneously, roughly 20% of its entire fleet.

The Compensation That Did Not Come Close

The airline received NZD 55 million from Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce in the first half of 2026, but estimated an additional NZD 90 million in losses from the groundings that went uncovered.

That gap tells you everything about who is really absorbing the cost of this crisis. Air New Zealand closed the first half of its 2026 financial year with a loss before tax of NZD 59 million. 

What 2027 Actually Means

Bottlenecks are now easing faster than previously expected, and the full fleet is forecast to be back in operation by 2027, though the airline will still carry the cost of leased replacement engines through the end of that year. The planes are coming home. The bill, though, arrived a long time ago.