Air New Zealand Will Be Replacing the Dash 8’s With Green-Powered Aircraft by 2030

In the future, Air New Zealand plans to eliminate all of its aircraft emissions by 2030. This will be accomplished using either green hydrogen or battery-powered technology, according to their sustainability plan released Friday. The airline took notice of the response they got when they released their December PRD, which included submissions and valuable insight from aircraft developers on how we can approach our aviation challenges in the future.

The airline is currently in talks and negotiations for purchase agreements for aircraft models that it expects to use between 2026-2027. ANZ said it will announce its partners by the end of the year and embark on a selection process within the next 12 months.

Air New Zealand CEO GregForan said the next three years would be focused on supporting the building, testing, and certifying of aircraft and associated infrastructure. By 2026, they hoped to have their first zero-emission aircraft either cargo or passenger take flight in New Zealand. They knew these goals were ambitious but ambition is what was required to make this new technology a reality.

ANZ has been working to create zero-emission aircraft, and according to an ANZ press release from earlier this year, New Zealand has the necessary resources to help.

One of the most popular types of aircraft for commuters is the electric aircraft, which has zero emissions. Foran said that New Zealand is a prime location for this type of aircraft because of its extremely diverse landscape. But it will take a lot of energy to get this project off the ground. The technology is getting there; it just needs to be developed to a scale we can use across our network.”

ANZ also emphasized the importance of adopting sustainable fuel for aviation in the near future, while flights with conventional fuels continue.