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Wednesday, 26th October 2011
In Events In Japan,
Airliner makes debut landing in Tokyo
An airliner embarking on its maiden voyage from Hong Kong made its debut landing in Tokyo today (October 26th) for its first chartered flight expected to become a global success from November.
After a three-year delay, Boeing finally got its Dreamliner into the air with a group of paying customers, who forked out thousands to be part of the company's history.
Although the plane cannot boast it goes any faster than its 53-year-old predecessor, it is remains the world's first carbon-composite aircraft.
Passengers boarding the plane were treated to a traditional sip of sake, after All Nippon Airlines' chief Shinichiro Ito and Boeing vice president Scott Fancher ensured they were entering the ultimate in cabin luxury.
Among its attractive features are larger windows, ideal for fliers hoping to see more as they gaze outwards, as well as lower cabin pressure that means noise travels more sharply, which could be taken as either a negative or a positive.
An Italian cosmetics importer dished out an incredible $30,000 (£18,7782) to make the journey, after accidentally winning a ticket bid when he placed and extra digit on the end of his offer, BBC News reported.
According to Reuters, the lucky flier believes that although the great windows are impressive, they could be a real temptation for curious kids. He maintained he could afford the flight because he didn't have a wife who might refuse him.
In terms of airlines, the innovation is particularly great because it uses up to 20 per cent less than fuel than its counterparts.
An analyst at Nomura Holding in the Japanese capital, Masaharu Hirokane, said: "For carriers with high operating margins, the 787 is critical for gaining a cost competitiveness."
Boeing could be set for success as it already has 800 orders for the Dreamliner, which costs an average $201.7 million (£126.3 million).
Posted by Mark Smith
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