Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce says touchdown of the airline’s first Boeing 787-9 represents something of a rebirth of the 97-year-old Australian flag carrier.

The aircraft, VH-ZNA Great Southern Land, landed at 0700 local time on Friday morning, after its 10-hour delivery flight QF7879 from Honolulu, Hawaii.

After a short wait, the 787-9 was towed to Hangar 96 at the Qantas jetbase, receiving an Airservices Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) monitor cross on the way.

About 1,500 people were inside Hangar 96 to greet Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, airline staff, invited guests and journalists stepping off the flight from Honolulu.

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Speaking to the crowd after disembarking the aircraft, Joyce hailed the end of what has been a long wait for the first 787 to appear in Qantas colours, given the airline first ordered the type in 2005.

“The moment has finally come,” Joyce said.

“This in some way to me is a bit about the rebirth of Qantas.

“We can look so much forward to our second century stronger and more determined to be a world leader than we have ever been.”

Further, Joyce said what Qantas had done on its 787-9 passenger experience represented the best of Australian talent, given industrial designer David Caon’s work on the seats, the University of Sydney’s Professor Steve Simpson’s work on the science of long-haul travel and chef Neil Perry’s efforts on the food.

“This is an amazing aircraft because of all that talent,” Joyce said.

Those in attendance were also treated to a performance of the iconic song Great Southern Land from Australian musician Iva Davies, who was on the delivery flight from Seattle, and his band Icehouse.

The arrival of VH-ZNA was the culmination of a near week-long series of events that started with the official unveiling of the aircraft at Boeing’s Everett facility on Monday (US time), including the naming of the aircraft Great Southern Land.

On Tuesday, the 787-9, which is configured with 236 seats across business, premium economy and economy, took off from Paine Field, landing in Honolulu, Hawaii, some five hours later.

The aircraft, and travelling party, spent the night in Honolulu before departing on the final leg of the journey to Australia just before midnight (local time) on Wednesday.

Some 10 hours later, the city of Sydney welcomed the first 787-9 to be operated by an Australian airline with showers and overcast conditions.

Qantas has ordered eight 787-9s, with the first four to be based in Melbourne and operate via a Los Angeles-Mebourne-Perth-London Heathrow pattern.

The second batch of four will be based in Brisbane, with two used to replace the Boeing 747-400/400ER on the Brisbane-Los Angeles-New York JFK route and two to open up a new route.

It is understood VH-ZNA would be in Sydney for a week before flying down to Melbourne. The aircraft will be used on some domestic routes from Melbourne to Perth and Sydney ahead of commencing long-haul operations in December.