Thai Airways International has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 and plans to use the plane on routes from its Bangkok hub to Auckland and Taipei.
The airline already operates the smaller 787-8 version of the fuel-efficient aircraft as well as the Airbus A350-900 manufactured by Boeing’s European rival.
The 787-9 has a greater range and payload than its sister aircraft and will allow Thai to open new long-distance, non-stop routes to destinations such as North America.
Dreamliners have become a common sight at airports since the first plane was delivered in September, 2011, and the Thai plane helps push Boeing towards its 600th delivery.
The composite twin-engine planes offer a 20 per cent fuel reduction compared to older, similar aircraft. They are less noisy and offer higher cabin pressure and humidity that helps passengers overcome travel fatigue.
The first aircraft, named named "Phatthana Nikhom”, is powered by Rolls- Royce Trent 1000 engines Thai acting president Usanee Sangsingkeo said it demonstrated the airline’s commitment “to operating the most technologically advanced aircraft for passenger comfort”.
Thai said its 787-9s were the first to come equipped with the new Panasonic eX3 inflight entertainment system offering swipe technology on 16-inch monitors in business class and 11-inch screens in economy.
The planes also boasts high-speed inflight connectivity through Panasonic’s Ku band Wi-Fi system.
The first 787-9 will operate initially on the route from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and Phuket from September 23 to 30 and then from Bangkok to Singapore from October 1 to November 15.
“After the delivery of the second 787-9 aircraft, Thai will operate round trip flights from Bangkok to Auckland, New Zealand and Bangkok to Taipei, Taiwan beginning on November 16, 2017,’’ the airline said.
The plane features 298 seats in a two-class cabin.
The 30 Royal Silk Class seats convert to a fully-flat bed and are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration allowing privacy and direct aisle access.
There are also 268 economy seats are arranged in a 3-3-3 abreast configuration.
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