Air NZ to use planes, pilots and crew from Portugese company while Dreamliners' engines fixed

December 11, 2017
Dreamliner

Two Airbus planes leased from a Portuguese company, and operated by its pilots and crew, will be pressed into service by Air New Zealand to help meet its schedules while its Dreamliners undergo maintenance after engine problems.

The Airbus 330 and Airbus 340, chartered from Portuguese company Hi Fly, are expected to begin operating some Auckland-Sydney and all Auckland-Perth services by next week.

Two Dreamliner flights were affected last week after problems with turbine blades in the Rolls Royce engines. A Tokyo-bound flight had to shut its engine down after it was damaged.

Air New Zealandgeneral mansager customer experience, Anita Hawthorne, said about 4500 customers have been affected by international flight delays and cancellations over the past week.

Once the two additional aircraft are in service the airline will be able to operate a near-normal timetable, she said.

The aircraft will be operated by pilots and crew from Hi Fly under the oversight of Air New Zealand, Ms Hawthorne said.

"This was a much quicker path to get the aircraft into our network than going through a lengthy certification and training programme for our own people, who are not trained to operate the Airbus widebody aircraft," she said.

Unions for Air New Zealand employees have been "extremely understanding" of this situation and share the airline's commitment to take the necessary steps to maintain the flight schedule over this important Christmas and summer period, Ms Hawthorne said.

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