Jetstars Own B787 Soon To Take Wings

13th Jun 2013

Jetstar will soon take delivery its first 787 Dreamliner as the plane is now in its final assembly stage in its Seattle factory.

Jetstar executives flew to Seattle in the first week of June to witness the airliner having its finishing touches before its public debut on September this year.

The brand new airliner will not enter commercial service until November, or two months later from the date of delivery.

According to its official, the new aircraft will be deployed first in its domestic routes in its initial service. It will eventually serve international routes later in the year. Gold Coast and Cairns are being considered for the domestic routes for the airliner's maiden service.

The decision to deploy the airliner in the domestic routes for its service debut is to give more Australians the chance to experience the latest and technologically-advanced features in a commercial airline service.

According to Mark Dal Pra, the airline's Director of the Boeing 787 Program, it will be the only 787 to fly its domestic network allowing domestic travelers the chance to experience 787 before its debut on international service.

B787's state-of-the-art features include:

- Panasonic entertainment eX2 systems with VOD on each seat, games, as well as gate-to-gate availability

- New 'seat chat', USB ports and in-seat power in both business and economy classes

- Larger cabin windows and electronic dimmers

- Purer air, higher humidity levels, lessening experience of jetlag and fatigue

- Reduction of turbulence and noise levels via Smoother Ride Technology

- Spacious overhead luggage compartments

- Leather seats

The airline will also invest more than $100 million in support infrastructure for its Dreamliner operations, resulting to the creation of up to 100 jobs in the process.

First engineers and pilots also underwent extensive training on 787 ahead of their assignment to the new aircraft. Furthermore, the airline will also train its more than 600 cabin crew in the coming days to prepare them for their new assignment.

The main advantage of the 787 Dreamliner are the technologically-advanced features, such as the composite materials used in its airframe and the raked wingtips which make it more fuel-efficient than most other airliners, reducing fuel consumption by up to 20%.

The fourteen 787 Dreamliners on order will gradually replace the airline's fleet of A330s on long-haul destinations. It currently flies to Auckland, Bali, Bangkok, Beijing, Honolulu, Osaka, Phuket, Singapore and Tokyo.