Air New Zealand new uniform to express boldness and meaning of the airline’s pride in Aotearoa and its unique cultural heritage.
Air New Zealand unveils both a new uniform collection and the first of its fully redesigned 787-9 Dreamliners. These two milestones said to signal the airline’s continued commitment to celebrating Aotearoa while delivering world-class innovation to customers around the globe.
Air New Zealand reveals its brand-new uniform – indicating to express boldness and meaning of the airline’s pride in Aotearoa and its unique cultural heritage. Designed by New Zealand-born fashion designer Emilia Wickstead, with hand-painted prints from tā moko artist Te Rangitu Netana, the uniform aims to mark a powerful new era of identity for Air New Zealand.
“For us, this is more than just a uniform; it is a celebration of our people, our culture, and our values. Air New Zealand has never been about standing still or blending in. As an airline, we are all about being bold, celebrating what makes us unique, and celebrating our team members. This new uniform encapsulates everything we stand for – a combination of innovation, rich cultural heritage, and a sense of pride and belonging.”
Worn by 6,000 Air New Zealanders globally, the new uniform will undergo in-flight and ground trials beginning May 2025, with full rollout across the airline in 2026.
Designer Emilia Wickstead says the Air New Zealand uniform was a passion project and one that she has always dreamed of working on. “Designing the Air New Zealand uniform has been an incredibly personal project for me. At the heart of it was a deep respect for the heritage and the unique identity of New Zealand’s people and land. It was essential to me that this uniform tells a meaningful story about Aotearoa. I wanted to create a uniform that empowers individuals and inspires pride in all who wear it and see it. For me, good design should always evoke a sense of pride and occasion, and I believe this uniform will do just that.
Air New Zealand also revealed its first retrofitted 787-9 Dreamliner – ZK-NZH – aiming to set a new benchmark in onboard experience and aircraft design. Customers can book seats starting Wednesday, 7 May, ahead of the aircraft’s debut flights from Auckland to Brisbane on Monday, 19 May, followed by its first long-haul to San Francisco.
This retrofit is the first complete nose-to-tail refresh of a 787-9 Dreamliner in the world, the result of 184 days in Singapore and years of design and development. By 2026, all 14 of Air New Zealand’s 787-9s will feature the new cabin layout.
“Our new Dreamliner experience reflects everything our customers told us they wanted – more comfort, better sleep, and intuitive tech,” says Foran. “It’s a physical representation of who we are as a country and as a brand.”
The new cabin design blends Kiwi ingenuity and storytelling with world-leading technology to delivers a distinctly Air New Zealand experience on routes including Brisbane, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Rarotonga.