Demonstration Comes Under a Four-Month Lease of a BETA ALIA CX300 Aircraft

Air New Zealand has taken its first big step toward electric aviation, flying the US-built BETA ALIA CX300 out of Tauranga Airport as part of what the airline calls a “technical demonstrator” program. The aircraft, on a four-month lease from BETA Technologies, will tour several New Zealand cities as the carrier evaluates its performance and gets its crews situated with the new systems.

"It's incredibly special to partner with a global innovator like BETA to ensure New Zealand is a part of shaping what the future of flight might look like both here and around the world,” said Baden Smith, General Manager of Air New Zealand. “We know aviation will keep changing - it always has. This is a small, cautious step to learn and be part of that change.”

The aircraft will operate from Hamilton next, with additional testing scheduled between Wellington and Blenheim in December. Each airport has been fitted with a 65-kilowatt mobile charging station, funded through Air New Zealand’s Climate and Nature Fund.

The ALIA CX300 is a battery-electric aircraft with a conventional takeoff and landing design. It can carry two crew members and about 198 cubic feet of cargo over nearly 216 nautical miles, all while producing zero in-flight emissions. The design prioritizes compatibility with existing airport infrastructure, meaning it can slide into daily operations with less disruption than one would expect for a sci-fi concept turned real-life aircraft.

For BETA Technologies, the flight is another important validation of the ALIA platform.

"We built the ALIA CX300 on a foundation of simplicity to ensure a fast, safe, and efficient path to commercial service,” commented Chris Caputo, BETA’s Director of Flight Ops. “With this 'Tech Demonstrator' collaboration, Air New Zealand is not just validating a single aircraft - they are creating the rigorous operational blueprint that will serve as a model for operators around the world who are serious about unlocking low-cost, sustainable connectivity for their regional communities."

The test marks the first time an electric aircraft has flown under the Air New Zealand brand. It’s also the first public milestone of the airline’s Mission Next Gen Aircraft program, launched in 2021 to identify next-generation aircraft suitable for regional routes. Out of 30 contenders, BETA’s design was chosen to lead the way.

FMI: www.airnewzealand.com, www.beta.team