Air Tahiti Nui to start B787-9 ops in mid-4Q18

Air Tahiti Nui (TN, Papeete) expects to deploy its incoming fleet of B787-9s into revenue service from November of this year onwards.

As part of its fleet renewal plans, the French Polynesian carrier will take delivery of two aircraft of the type - msn 39297 and 42116 - direct from Boeing (BOE, Chicago O'Hare) in October this year followed by two more, on lease from Air Lease Corporation, in May and July of 2019. The twinjets' arrival will trigger the phasing out of the carrier's five A340-300s, all of which are to be removed by September 2019.

According to Airline Route, the B787-9s will tentatively make their debut on November 7 on flights to Auckland Int'l and Los Angeles Int'l. Thereafter, they will be deployed on flights to Tokyo Narita from February 4, 2019, onwards.

The B787-9s will feature a total of 294 seats of which 30 are in Business class, 32 in the new Moana Premium, and 232 in Moana Economy.

ch aviation