Boeing

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] will deliver the first 787-9 Dreamliner to Air New Zealand in December 2010. Boeing and ANZ, along with engine-maker Rolls-Royce, held a ceremonial signing today in which ANZ converted its original order for four 787-8 airplanes to four 787-9 airplanes.

"Being the first airline to introduce the 787-9 aircraft will enable Air New Zealand to provide a superior, first-to-market experience for our customers and is a most desirable position for us to be in given the unprecedented sales success of the Boeing 787 model," said Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe.

The 787-9 is capable of carrying 250-290 passengers on routes of 8,600 to 8,800 nautical miles (15,900-16,300 kilometers). ANZ selected the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine to power its 787-9s.

"The 787-9 has unprecedented fuel efficiency and economics, which make it an ideal choice for ANZ," said Roland Ramirez, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Sales director, Asia Pacific region. "The -9 has all the right attributes to serve ANZ profitably and provide its passengers with a new flying experience."

The 787-9 is a slightly bigger version of the 787-8 and has a list price of $183 million. Both are super-efficient airplanes with new passenger-pleasing features including an innovative new interior environment with higher humidity, wider seats and aisles, and larger windows. The 787 will bring the economics of large jet transports to the middle of the market, using 20 percent less fuel than any other airplane of its size.

The high-technology, all-new Boeing 787 continues to capture the interest of airline customers around the world. Since its April 2004 launch, the program has booked 393 orders and commitments from 29 customers; 350 of those are firm orders worth roughly $52 billion at current list prices, making the 787 the most successful new airplane in Boeing history.