Air NZ white livery press 2

Air New Zealand is set to launch its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on flights to Perth from Auckland in 2014.

In a boost to tourism in both New Zealand and Western Australia, Auckland-Perth will be the first scheduled route ever operated by the revolutionary new Boeing 787-9 when the airline takes delivery of the launch aircraft next year.

“The 787-9 is going to be a game changer for Air New Zealand and is a key element in delivering on our Go Beyond growth plan,” said Air New Zealand’s Chief Executive Officer, Christopher Luxon.

“Not only is the 787-9 around 20% more fuel efficient than the aircraft it’s replacing, it also sets a new benchmark for passenger comfort,” he says.

Luxon says the 787-9 dedicated routes to follow Auckland-Perth (which is operated as part of its trans-Tasman alliance with Virgin Australia) will be Auckland-Tokyo and Auckland-Shanghai.