Air New Zealand will pause its Auckland – Chicago non-stop service from March 31 to October 25, 2024.
The route is being put on hold due to ongoing challenges with the availability of serviceable Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines which is impacting airlines around the world. These are the engines used on Air New Zealand's Boeing 787 aircraft.
Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty says it was a difficult decision to make, but one that results in the least number of customers impacted.
“We know this will be disappointing for customers travelling to and from Chicago during this period, especially to those travelling over the upcoming April holiday break. It's not a decision we've made lightly and we're sorry to make this change so close to the time some customers plan to fly. Unfortunately, Air New Zealand continues to be impacted by challenges with availability of Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, meaning we will now have up to three aircraft unavailable for an extended period, so we've had to review our schedule. We made the tough decision to temporarily pause the Chicago route while maintaining our schedule of up to 35 flights each week to six ports across the U.S. and Canada, so there are still plenty of options to get to Chicago, the U.S., and beyond.”
The Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines typically undergo extensive maintenance after 1000 engine cycles, involving removal and inspection by the offshore manufacturer. However, Air New Zealand engineers discovered the need for maintenance at 750-850 cycles during routine inspections. Unfortunately, Rolls-Royce has been unable to supply spare or replacement engines, impacting Air New Zealand's ability to maintain its usual service levels through its 787 fleet.
