Air New Zealand has confirmed it will purchase eight 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft from manufacturer, Boeing.
The national carrier announced its intentions to invest in the aircraft in May, and the deal was formalised last night.
The purchase, worth US$2.7 billion at list prices will deliver the airline a fleet of aircraft to replace its current Boeing 777-200 fleet.
Air NZ currently has nine 777-200s that operate a range of routes through Australia, Asia and the United States.
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Boeing's light-weight carbon-fibre Dreamliner burns 25 percent less fuel per passenger than a 777-200 and goes further.
Once delivered, Air NZ's international fleet will be made up mostly of Boeing Dreamliners. A mix of the new 787-10's and the current fleet of smaller 787-9's.
There has been increased speculation that Air NZ is close to announcing its intentions to launch a non-stop flight from Auckland to New York.
In May, Air NZ's CEO Christopher Luxon told Newshub the Dreamliner aircraft has the ability to fly the more than 14,000-kilometre route.
"It will be a member of the 787 family of aircraft. It's a question for us if we do it with the 787-10 or the 787-9, but certainly it will be a 787 type aircraft that will be able to do it," he said.
Reuters/Newshub.
