Air New Zealand has produced details and imagery of its new cabin upgrades being undertaken across its Boeing 777-300ER fleet. The upgrade programme will see the airline's Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with new Business Premier and Economy interiors.
Air New Zealand Chief Customer & Digital Officer Jeremy O'Brien says the investment aims to ensure the airline delivers a product that meets customer needs now and into the future. Ongoing maintenance and production costs have also been factored into the upgrades.
"Our current Business Premier and Economy cabins have served us exceptionally well since we welcomed the first 777-300ER into our fleet in late 2010, however the time is right to raise the bar once again. Alongside our retrofitted 787-9 Dreamliners, these upgrades will deliver a more consistent experience across Air New Zealand's international fleet, with a design and production standard that matches the world-class Kiwi service we're proud to provide onboard.
"Our Boeing 777-300ER aircraft continue to play a key role in our international network, and upgrading the interiors means we can keep these aircraft flying for longer, while reducing the maintenance demands that come with an older cabin product."
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In Business Premier, the updated cabins will feature new Collins Elevation seats, offering customers more personal space, comfort and privacy, in a forward-facing layout.
"The updated Business Premier cabin will deliver a modern experience for our customers and brings similar functionality to the new seats being rolled out across our 787-9 fleet. It will also see the layout change to a 'reverse herringbone' format," says O'Brien.
Customers travelling in Economy will enjoy new ergonomically designed seats from ZIM, along with upgraded inflight entertainment screens, al;though the airline has re-jigged the layout to fit an extra two seats in this class.
Premium Economy remains as it is currently, with the cabins having gone through a refresh programme over the past year, with new seat covers and cabin curtains.
The first 777 is scheduled to be retrofitted in March 2027, and in service by May 2027.
