(Photo: Singapore Airlines)
Singapore Airlines made aviation history as it brought home the first of its 49-strong fleet of Boeing 787-10 aircraft during a welcoming ceremony – complete with an impressive water cannon salute, no less – at Changi Airport.
The plane – first of 49 that Singapore Airlines has ordered from Boeing – began its virgin flight from the assembly facility in North Charleston, South Carolina and landed 22 hours later in Singapore via Osaka. The ‘dash 10’ is Boeing’s largest variant yet of the new-age ‘Dreamliner’. It’s also 16 ft longer than the 787-9, which means it can accommodate more passengers – about 337 seats (36 lie-flat in Business Class and 301 in Economy).
The airline also took the opportunity to launch its refreshed regional cabin products, which include Business Class seats (padded with Alcantara microfibre that's used to upholster the interior of luxury sports cars and yachts) that recline directly into a 76’’ fully-flat bed, personalised in-flight entertainment experience for all customers through myKrisWorld, and adjustable dividers at the centre seats to provide a customised level of privacy.
Like its fellow Dreamliners, the 787-10 powered by the new Trent-1000 engines from Rolls-Royce has higher cabin humidity, lower cabin altitude, industry-large windows, and ‘Smoother Air Technology’ that detects turbulence and automatically adjusts aircraft systems accordingly.
The first routes Singapore has earmarked for its 787-10s are from its hub in Singapore to Osaka and Perth. The aircraft will be servicing these routes as early as May.
Stay tuned for the full write-up in an upcoming issue of Options in The Edge Malaysia.
