Originally Posted by sbiddle

Air NZ were the launch customer for the 787-9 and were (from memory) the second airline in the world to order the 787. I was told a few years ago that when Air NZ ordered the 7E7 (as it was called then) that RR was the only engine option and the GE option was not even ready at that time.

In 2004 aircraft engines were something that had been incredibly reliable for the previous two decades, and at the same time as they ordered the 7E7 with RR they also ordered the 777-200ER with Trent 800's which had proven itself to be one of the most ground breaking and best performing aircraft engines that the world had seen. When they ordered the 777-300ER it had GE as that was the only option available for that plane.

Who would have ever thought that 14 years on from this that you'd have an engine so unreliable that fleets around the world would be parked up and unable to fly? And that 20 years on from this you'd airlines globally would still be dealing with the same problems?