Air Transport

ANZ to receive first 787-9

© Boeing

Air New Zealand (ANZ) will become the first customer to take delivery of the stretched 787-9 in December 2010 after converting its original order for four 787-8s to the higher-capacity model (above). The carrier, one of the first customers for what was then dubbed the 7E7 in 2004, appears to have retained its original delivery timescale despite moving to the later model. ANZ was originally due to receive its -8 aircraft in 2010 and 2011 as it retires the last of its 767s. The 787-9 can carry up to 290 passengers on routes of up to 16,300km (8,800nm). ANZ was the first 787 customer to select Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.