Air NZ to introduce some of largest economy in-flight entertainment screens in the world

Friday, 2 May 2025

The screens will be the largest economy screens in the world, equal to Emirates’ economy cabins.

Passengers on Air New Zealand will soon be able to see their movies on a larger screen and use their own Bluetooth headphones without an adapter.

The airline’s retrofitted Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner planes will have a new in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. One renovated plane has returned to New Zealand already and a further 13 will progressively go to Singapore for the fit-out.

The screens will be 50% bigger than the current ones and be the largest economy screens in the world, equal to Emirates’ economy cabins.

The economy screen will be 13.3 (33.8cm) inches, instead of the current economy screen, which is nine inches (22.8cm). The premium economy screen will be 15.6in, or 39.6cm, and business will be 24in, or 60.9cm. They are both currently 11 inches (28cm).

Passengers will be able to connect their own Bluetooth headphones to the system and link their phone or device to use as a remote control for the screen.

For those who forget their own, the headphones that are currently supplied will remain.

Air NZ’s chief digital officer, Nikhil Ravishankar, told Stuff Travel they surveyed customers to understand what they wanted from in-flight entertainment.

In-flight entertainment screens in economy will be 50% bigger than the current ones.

“One of the things that consistently comes up is the fact that, particularly on short-haul travel there is a movement towards bringing your own device into the cabin. You use an iPad or you’re downloading content on your iPhone.

“But for long-haul travel, there's still a preference for large-screen entertainment. It's just a more comfortable experience so even as we continue to invest in in-flight connectivity, there is a real preference to enjoy movies or shows on big screen.”

The airline will also be able to design its own apps in the in-flight entertainment and be able to change out any items itself rather than needing a supplier to update.

“Our concept has always been, what if an IFE could be like an app store and we can build different apps into it. Obviously, the main app that everyone interacts with within an IFE is the entertainment app, but we now have the flexibility of not only fine-tuning that app based on customer experience, but starting to build some additional apps on the IFE as well,” Ravishankar said.

For those who like to keep one eye on the flight map, there will be a Picture in Picture function so you can continue watching your movie while exploring the rest of the offerings.

It will also display real-time wi-fi connectivity and have a welcome app for how to use the various seats.

“Our world-famous Air New Zealand quiz app is another one. We're looking at e-commerce as another area where you can do online shopping, for example, through the IFE. We're also looking at potential collabs with other content providers as well.

“We'll continue to make sure that our new release content is as up to date as possible and as relevant and interesting as possible for the various segments of customers who travel on the airline, but going forward, I think there's an opportunity also for us to collaborate more with local content producers, but also to collab with the streamers.”

Which routes the retrofitted planes will fly have not been finalised, but the Dreamliner typically flies on the long-haul routes. The first of the renovated planes will make its inaugural flight on May 19.

The retrofitted planes will get a new interior layout, including the new Business Premier Luxe seat and redesigned Business Premier, premium economy, and economy cabins.

The plane has also been kitted out with new carpet, curtains, wallpaper, hands-free waste disposal and amenity holders in the lavatories, new in-flight entertainment screens and system and a Sky Pantry installed in the economy cabin.

The help-yourself free snack station for economy and premium economy passengers will have an array of snacks, fruit, non-alcoholic drinks and water available for travellers to take at their leisure.

The second 787-9 to be retrofitted with the new interiors was already undergoing work in Singapore, with seven aircraft expected to be completed by the end of the year.

All 14 Boeing 787-9s will be updated to the new cabin layout by the end of 2026.

The much-anticipated Skynest, bunk beds in the sky, will not be on these aircraft, but instead be on the aircraft the airline has on order from Boeing, due to be delivered in early 2026.