First for China as Dreamliner touches down in Guangzhou
By Yang Jian |
June 3, 2013, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
China's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner was delivered to China Southern Airlines in the southern city of Guangzhou yesterday. It will fly between Guangzhou and Beijing from Thursday and is expected to fly routes to Shanghai by the end of the month.
Dreamliner aircraft were grounded worldwide in January after two separate incidents on Japanese-owned planes involving overheating of the lithium-ion battery packs.
But after a revised battery design was approved by aviation authorities in the US, the grounding was lifted on April 26.
China's first B787 has been fitted with the modified battery, Boeing said, and the system now includes a steel enclosure and other safeguards to prevent fire.
The president and chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airlines, Ray Conner, called the delivery of the first plane a "significant new milestone in the strengthening partnership between Boeing and China."
The Dreamliner, the first of 10 aircraft ordered by the Guangzhou-based airline, landed at the Baiyun International Airport at 10:30am after a 12-hour trip from Boeing headquarters in Seattle.
The aircraft has 228 seats, including four first class and 24 flat-bed business class seats.
The aircraft will initially take off from Guangzhou, Guangdong's provincial capital, at 12pm and arrive in Beijing at 2:50pm, returning to Guangzhou at 6:30pm every day with a one-way economy class ticket costing 1,700 yuan (US$277).
The aircraft has bigger windows, fresher air and larger spaces in the cabin, said Hu Wei, who will captain the aircraft.
The windows are 65 percent larger than most other passenger aircraft and electronically dimmable glass replaces traditional window shades.
Higher humidity and a more efficient air purification system will make passengers feel more comfortable throughout the flight, Hu said.
Passengers will also notice a difference in noise levels with the aircraft's specially designed engines said to reduce noise by more than 60 percent.
The plane incorporates lighter synthetic materials to help it cut fuel consumption by 20 percent while traveling faster than other planes of similar size.
"China Southern will use the aircraft to mainly fly international routes to Paris, Vancouver and London in future," said Tan Wangeng, the airline's general manager.
The other nine B787s will be delivered by the end of 2017, Tan said.
Some 10 carriers around the world, including United Airlines and All Nippon Airlines, are operating Dreamliners.
Air China has ordered 15 of the planes while Hainan Airlines has ordered 10.
Dreamliner aircraft were grounded worldwide in January after two separate incidents on Japanese-owned planes involving overheating of the lithium-ion battery packs.
But after a revised battery design was approved by aviation authorities in the US, the grounding was lifted on April 26.
China's first B787 has been fitted with the modified battery, Boeing said, and the system now includes a steel enclosure and other safeguards to prevent fire.
The president and chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airlines, Ray Conner, called the delivery of the first plane a "significant new milestone in the strengthening partnership between Boeing and China."
The Dreamliner, the first of 10 aircraft ordered by the Guangzhou-based airline, landed at the Baiyun International Airport at 10:30am after a 12-hour trip from Boeing headquarters in Seattle.
The aircraft has 228 seats, including four first class and 24 flat-bed business class seats.
The aircraft will initially take off from Guangzhou, Guangdong's provincial capital, at 12pm and arrive in Beijing at 2:50pm, returning to Guangzhou at 6:30pm every day with a one-way economy class ticket costing 1,700 yuan (US$277).
The aircraft has bigger windows, fresher air and larger spaces in the cabin, said Hu Wei, who will captain the aircraft.
The windows are 65 percent larger than most other passenger aircraft and electronically dimmable glass replaces traditional window shades.
Higher humidity and a more efficient air purification system will make passengers feel more comfortable throughout the flight, Hu said.
Passengers will also notice a difference in noise levels with the aircraft's specially designed engines said to reduce noise by more than 60 percent.
The plane incorporates lighter synthetic materials to help it cut fuel consumption by 20 percent while traveling faster than other planes of similar size.
"China Southern will use the aircraft to mainly fly international routes to Paris, Vancouver and London in future," said Tan Wangeng, the airline's general manager.
The other nine B787s will be delivered by the end of 2017, Tan said.
Some 10 carriers around the world, including United Airlines and All Nippon Airlines, are operating Dreamliners.
Air China has ordered 15 of the planes while Hainan Airlines has ordered 10.
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