Air NZ awaits delivery of new Boeing aircraft

Air NZ receives its first Boeing 777 in Seattle. Picture / Peter Clark

Air New Zealand's new baby, the first of its fleet of eight Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, arrives in New Zealand today and, weather permitting, will treat Auckland plane spotters to a low-level fly-past.

The airline was given its plane at a handover ceremony at the Boeing factory near Seattle, Washington, this week and has flown it from the US with a fuelling stopover in Fiji. The 313-seat, twin-engined jet will be joined by a second new plane in two weeks.

One group of aviation enthusiasts who will not be waving the welcome flags today are the Air New Zealand aircraft engineers, who are marking the arrival with a protest march.

Air New Zealand is planning to cut 617 engineering jobs from its Auckland operation and sending all heavy aircraft maintenance work overseas. One reason for this is that the new planes require less maintenance than the older aircraft they are replacing.

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union national secretary Andrew Little said that engineers had mixed feelings about the 777.

"Professionally, they are excited about it," he said. "This is a new plane, and they would love to work on it. But if Air New Zealand goes ahead with its plans to send heavy maintenance work overseas, they will get to do little more than kick the tyres."

Engineers and supporters will gather near the airport entrance on George Bolt Memorial Drive, before marching to the terminals and going to the hangar where the new aircraft will be housed.

Air NZ is buying four 777s and leasing four. The total cost of buying its planes and the necessary infrastructure needed to maintain the fleet has been put at $1 billion.

The first 777 will fly Air NZ's Auckland-San Francisco route, taking over from late November. As more arrive, they will be put on the Auckland-Singapore service and also be flown across the Tasman at peak times.

Chief executive Rob Fyfe said the plane's capabilities mean the airline can start looking at new markets, with Auckland to Shanghai flights an example of its growth plans.

The sight of a 777 is nothing new to Auckland plane spotters, however, with other airlines, such as Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Korean Air already flying them into Auckland.

Air NZ's plane is unique in the world though, being the first 777 to be fitted with 2.02m lie-flat premium seats arranged in a "herring-bone" format - giving each passenger aisle access.

New seats in all classes are being installed in all Air NZ's long-haul planes, giving all passengers personal video screens.

Boeing 777 flyover

* 10.20am: Arrival into Auckland from the northeast, over Hauraki Gulf to north of Rangitoto Island.
* 10.25: Descends to 2500ft, turns through 180 degrees off East Coast Bays, back north to Whangaparaoa Peninsula, turns and tracks southwest towards Long Bay.
* 10.39: Over Long Bay, Albany Village, Hobsonville.
* 10.42: Tracks east of Te Atatu, down the Waitemata Harbour past Pt Chevalier toward the Harbour Bridge and passes over the city:
* 10.44: Passes Devonport, left around North Head, then right towards Musick Point.
* 10.48: Over Musick Point, then tracks southeast down the Tamaki Estuary.
* 10.52: Over Ambury Farm, Mangere.
* 11.00: Lands at Auckland International Airport.
* Air NZ says the flight path, timings and altitude are a guide only and will depend on weather conditions. If conditions allow, the new plane may descend as low as 1000 feet.