Air New Zealand Looks at Replacing Domestic Fleet

[Mike W]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/indu...domestic-fleet

Air New Zealand is expected to start replacing its domestic Boeing 737-300 fleet in the next two years at a cost of up to $2.2 billion.

Competition from Pacific Blue and Jetstar using new, larger, more comfortable and more fuel-efficient planes is putting pressure on the airline to upgrade its older planes.

Industry sources said Air NZ was looking at the bigger Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737-800 flown by Pacific Blue and Jetstar.

Airline spokesman Mark Street said Airbus and Boeing had been asked for information on several aircraft options.

Air NZ's 16 Boeing 737s have an average age of 11 years and are nearing the end of their service life, he said. Leases on 11 of the planes expire over a five-year period from 2011. Air NZ owns the other five.

Goes on...

I find this interesting but also doubt the seriousness of it as well. This is due to the fact the 733s are indeed still relatively young (av. age only 11 years and the last built) plus they've just picked up in the last year or two another 3 second hand examples. Bearing these in mind, I'm thinking that it will be a good while before replacements join the fleet and then there's the Zeal thing as well... My pick is that they will extend leases.