Air New Zealand's Boeing 787-9 will fly into Sydney Airport today, giving Sydney planespotters their first chance to see the big black bird before it begins a temporary trans-Tasman service early next month.
It's operating at flight NZ6021 from Auckland to Sydney, with an ETA of 3.49pm (at the time of writing, the FlightAware live tracking service was showing a likely arrival at 3.59pm).
The return leg is tagged as NZ6022 and is due to leave Sydney at 6.10pm.
The flights are being conducted as part of a 'entry into service' requirement and while the plane isn't carrying any paying passengers on this trip it's packing a full revenue load of cargo.
Photos: Air New Zealand brings first Boeing 787-9 home to Auckland
Air New Zealand is the first of six airlines which will begin flying the Boeing 787-9 this year, with a daily Auckland-Perth service slated for October 15.
United Airlines will quickly follow on October 28 with new direct flights between Los Angeles and Melbourne which will ditch the current dogleg route via Sydney.
Scoot's Dreamliner debut in December is tipped for Singapore-Sydney, while Etihad Airways will bring its Boeing 787-9 to Brisbane from June 2015.
Read: Airlines quick off the mark to fly the Boeing 787-9
Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Sep 2013
Total posts 465
Pefect,4pm just as all the drunks arrive in the QF lounge.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Sep 2012
Total posts 132
Doh! Flights not coming in from the North today... won't track over the North Shore.... ;-(
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2204
Takeoff will likely be northbound but it'll be dark by then. It's hard enough to see a white aircraft at night, never mind a black one!
It's also depressingly cold and overcast, so I'm going to skip this one.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Sep 2012
Total posts 132
No hanging about on the climb too. From take off to 38,000 in sub 20 minutes. That was what I found awesome about the JQ 787 to HKT - the climb so fast on a 9 hour flight to FL380, and then eventually up to FL430. Really impressive machine, even it is a Boeing!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Jul 2014
Total posts 25
No drunks arrive in the Qantas lounge!
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3012
Try as I might, I can't seem to get excited by the 787, the way I was with the A380.
I was vaguely excited by the BA 787 until I realised all their new planes will have exactly the same sleek cabin.
Can someone please tell me what the big deal is with this aircraft (from a passenger perspective - I know airlines supposedly operate the 787 at a lower cost, but I don't think any airline has transferred the cost savings to customers?)
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Air New Zealand's Boeing 787-9 flies into Sydney