Happy 76th Birthday Air New Zealand

AIR NEW ZEALAND   ZK-OKC B777-219 (CN 34371)

Air New Zealand's story began on the 26th April 1940 when its forerunner airline, Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) was incorporated. TEAL began its first trans-Tasman services with flying boats, and over the years steadily expanded the size and scope of its operations and the extent of its international network. The route network was expanded from Australia and the Pacific to Asia, the USA, the UK and Europe. In October 1953 TEAL became jointly owned by the New Zealand and Australian Governments, and in April 1961 the New Zealand Government assumed full ownership.
In addition to TEAL operating international services, the New Zealand Government established NZ National Airways Corporation (NAC) in 1947. NAC was the primary operator of domestic air services between major centres and provincial cities and towns, and along with TEAL would later form the basis for today's Air New Zealand.
In April 1965 TEAL was renamed Air New Zealand Limited, and continued operating solely international services. 1965 also heralded the beginning of the jet era for Air New Zealand, with the arrival in July of the first DC-8 jet aircraft. The new jets meant that Air New Zealand could expand operations to North America and Asia, becoming a truly international airline. In 1973, Air New Zealand introduced the larger DC-10 to their fleet. The airline operated with a combined DC-8 and DC-10 fleet until the 1980s, when the larger Boeing 747 began to replace the older jets. The first 747 arrived on the 22nd May 1981 (ZK-NZV CN 22722). In July 2014 ANZ took delivery of their first of 6 B787-9 (ZK-NZE 34334)

Current fleet

Air New Zealand Mainline Fleet

Aircraft	In Service		Orders	Passengers
	Number	Layout		J	P	S	Y	Total
Airbus A320-200	28	15	2	—	—	—	171	171
		13	—				168	168
Airbus A320neo	—		13	—
Airbus A321neo	—
Boeing 767-300ER	5		—	24	—	—	206	230
Boeing 777-200ER	8		—	26	40	54	192	312
Boeing 777-300ER	7		—	44	44	60	184	332
Boeing 787-9	6		6	18	21	42	221	302
Total	54		20

AIR NEW ZEALAND B787-9 ZK-NZE (CN 34334)