summary
- Air New Zealand will lease planes from Wamos Air to fill a shortage caused by ongoing Pratt & Whitney engine problems.
- Wamos Air operates daily flights between Auckland and Perth using A330 widebody aircraft.
- P Passengers who choose not to travel during the two-month period will be eligible for a refund or credit.
Air New Zealand has announced it will return to a temporary lease agreement with Spanish charter airline Wamos Air to support operations between Perth and Auckland. This comes as New Zealand’s flag carrier is plagued by ongoing Pratt & Whitney engine issues affecting its Airbus A320neo family of aircraft.
The aircraft will be out of service for several months for maintenance following the engine manufacturer’s recall of its geared turbofan (GTF) engines earlier this year. Air New Zealand will allow Wamos to operate wide-body A330 jets to help fill an aircraft shortage.
Wamos will operate flights between Auckland Airport (AKL) and Perth Airport (PER) with an A330-200 from 9 February to 30 April 2024. Air New Zealand confirmed the move in a statement, acknowledging Wamos had secured increased flexibility.
“As Air New Zealand prepares some of its fleet for maintenance next year due to the global engine maintenance issues facing airlines around the world, the company has announced that Wamos Air We plan to re-enter a temporary lease agreement with “where they need to be.” Working with Wamos Air will ensure additional operational flexibility in case of additional maintenance requirements or unforeseen challenges or other disruptions beyond the airline’s control. This is a temporary and proactive measure to protect your travel plans. ”
what to expect
Flights operate daily and offer in-flight service consisting of Business Class and Economy Class.
flight number | from | to | Device | Seating configuration | cabins available | travel period |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NZ173 | A.K.L. | PER | A330-200 | Y-260C-20 | Business Premier & Economy (the work) | From February 9th to April 30th, 2024 |
NZ174 | PER | A.K.L. | A330-200 | Y-260C-20 | Business Premier & Economy (the work) | From February 9th to April 30th, 2024 |
Photo: Thiago B. Trevisan | Shutterstock
Wamos’ A330-200 accommodates 280 passengers, with 20 lie-flat business seats and 260 economy seats. Unlike Air New Zealand aircraft, this aircraft does not have a premium economy cabin. Instead, the airline said loyalty customers with a Recognition Upgrade can use it to request a direct upgrade from Economy Class to Business Class with one upgrade per one-way flight. Passengers who have already booked Premium Economy will be compensated for the fare difference plus an additional $150 paid in the currency of their original ticket.
Other in-flight services you can expect include:
- Travelers earn Airpoints Dollars and Status Points based on the original fare paid for the flight.
- Original checked baggage allowance applies
- Economy Skycouch will no longer be available and passengers will receive a refund.
- Regardless of the fare type you book, all cabins are provided with full meal service, including beverages.
- The normally sold in-flight meal menu will not be provided.
Air New Zealand customer service representatives will continue to check in passengers at the airport and at flight gates. Passengers can also request a full refund or convert their airfare into a credit if they no longer wish to travel within the two-month period.
Ongoing GTF engine complexity
The airline operates 17 A320neo family jets among its 108 aircraft. Pratt & Whitney disclosed problems with its GTF engines in July, requiring inspections of numerous engines over the next three years. The main impact on the global aviation industry will likely be felt next year.
Photo: Airbus
“Some of our aircraft may be undergoing maintenance for some time, so in order to maintain schedules and provide travel certainty for our customers, we have grounded aircraft for necessary engine maintenance. We are looking at leasing additional aircraft to replace existing aircraft.” Air New Zealand said in a statement.
The company began working with Wamos under a wet lease agreement in October 2022 to support transportation capacity constraints following the pandemic. It ended on October 29th of this year.