Boeing today rolled out of the paint hangar the first 787-9 Dreamliner to be delivered to launch customer Air New Zealand, revealing the carrier’s new-look livery. The airplane, painted in a distinctive black color scheme, features the iconic official New Zealand Fern Mark.

“It’s great to see the Koru and the beautiful New Zealand fern emblazoned on this aircraft.  This will soon be the first 787-9 aircraft anywhere in the world to operate commercially and I think it will instill a sense of pride in Kiwis and turn heads when it touches down at airports throughout Asia and the Pacific,” said Capt. David Morgan, Air New Zealand Chief Flight Operations and Safety Officer.

This 787-9 is the first airplane to feature the distinctive black version of Air New Zealand’s new-look livery design, with the white version having been gradually rolled out across the airline’s domestic fleet in recent months. While the majority of Air New Zealand’s fleet will eventually feature the white version, a limited number will feature the signature black version.

“With the unveiling of this beautiful airplane and our continued progress in flight test, this is an exciting time for the entire 787-9 team,” said Mark Jenks, vice president, 787 Airplane Development, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We look forward to delivering the first 787-9 to Air New Zealand.”

Air New Zealand plans to have the airplane begin service on its Auckland-Perth route later this year. Air New Zealand has 10 787-9s on order.

Boeing press release