Air New Zealand’s engine headaches and fleet constraints are unlikely to improve until 2026
New details released by Air New Zealand highlight the severity of the engine availability issues it is confronting - and the bad news is that the situation is unlikely to improve in the near term, and may even get worse.
Air New Zealand is among the worst affected by the engine maintenance backlogs that are hurting many airlines around the world, when factoring in the number of aircraft grounded in relation to fleet size.
Air New Zealand's widebody and narrowbody fleets have both been hit by groundings, as it relies on Pratt & Whitney GTF engines for its Airbus A320neo-family aircraft, and Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines for its Boeing 787s.
The maintenance logjams - and also delivery delays - are out of the airline's control, so it has been very difficult to accurately predict the engine availability rate.
However, the airline does not expect meaningful improvement until around the middle of (calendar year) 2026.
Become a CAPA Member to access Analysis Reports
Our Analysis Reports are only available to CAPA Members. CAPA Membership provides exclusive access to in-depth insights on the latest developments in the aviation and travel industry, developed by our team of dedicated analysts located in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
Each report offers a fresh perspective on the latest industry trends and is available online or via the CAPA mobile app, with customisable alerts to help you stay informed and identify new business opportunities.
CAPA Membership also provides access to our full suite of tools, including a tailored selection of more than 1,000 News Briefs every week and comprehensive data and analysis on thousands of companies around the world.