A futuristic electric aircraft has been chosen to join Air New Zealand's fleet as part of a project to transition to low-emission travel.
The airline announced its plan on Wednesday, after selecting BETA's ALIA battery-powered plane for commercial flights in 2026, initially transporting cargo.
Chief executive Greg Foran said the electric plane would give the company insights into how to operate other alternative aircraft and deal with the "wicked" challenge of cutting carbon emissions.