Britain’s largest commercial property airport, Heathrow, welcomed a revolutionary new aircraft which could signal the future of international travel.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner touched down in the London commercial property on Monday, and was greeted by the managing directors of three major UK airlines, who wished to view the cutting edge aeroplane before placing orders for their respective companies later this month.
Originally intended for launch into the aviation market in 2009, the Dreamliner has been one of the most highly anticipated aeroplanes for companies operating from airport commercial properties in quite some time. Boasting both comfort and luxury, each aeroplane offers high ceilings and larger windows which can be individually dimmed by pressing a button on the arm rest of passenger seats.
Thomson Airways will be the first UK company to offer flights on Boeing’s latest creation, and customers can begin to book summer 2013 holidays to destinations such as Cancun and Florida from airport commercial properties including Manchester and Gatwick this week. British Airways will follow suit, with a fleet of 24 Dreamliners operating exclusively from Heathrow Airport, and Virgin Atlantic will begin to offer flights on the luxury airliner from 2014.
However, the Dreamliner is not simply a luxury aeroplane – it is also environmentally friendly, too. Boeing claim that the new jet can fly up to 52 per cent further than most other aeroplanes operated by aviation commercial properties at the moment, but will burn 20 per cent less fuel and require less maintenance annually. This is partly due to the advanced technology on board, which includes a health monitoring system. Should any problems arise with the aeroplane, the system will self-diagnose the aircraft, and report the issue to ground-based computers.
Thomson Airways’ purchasing and product chief, Garry Wilson, believes the addition of the 13-strong fleet of Dreamliners will enhance passenger experience for holidaymakers flying long-haul from any of the commercial properties the airline operates from.
He says; “We know that this addition to our fleet will set us apart from our competition and we’ll be able to give our customers the best possible start to their holidays.”
The Dreamliner could revolutionise the way international businesses operate in the UK. For example, as each aircraft can travel up to 8,500 nautical miles with 290 passengers on board without being forced to stop for fuel, trips such as Glasgow to Cape Town, or London to Tokyo, are entirely possible, and without a refuelling stop would take much less time. In fact, it is even estimated that Heathrow to Perth, Australia, would be feasible – shortening an almost 24-hour journey significantly.
Also, due to less fuel consumption, the air inside the plane will be cleaner and the flight itself quieter and smoother. Boeing claims that these factors will dramatically reduce jet-lag for long-haul passengers, which could be incredibly advantageous for a businessperson expected to report to their commercial property the next morning!
Chris Browne, managing director at Thomson Airways, is awaiting the arrival of the company’s fleet with excitement. She says; “This aircraft might have been built explicitly with our airline in mind.
“This is the first aircraft that Boeing has designed which makes the comfort of passengers as important as the safety of the flight.
“It makes for a smoother ride for nervous passengers – more than 40 per cent of our passengers would fly long haul if the journey was more comfortable.”
Would you choose to fly long haul on the Boeing Dreamliner in 2013? Or do you believe the aeroplane is too good to be true?
