More nonstops, maybe more room on 787s
All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 takes off for the new airplane's inaugural commercial flight to Hong Kong at Narita International Airport in Narita, east of Tokyo. (Oct. 26, 2011) Credit: AP
Boeing's new 787 finally carried its first passengers, and the aviation industry has called the 787 a "game changer" aircraft. In many ways it is.
It's the first big jet to be built substantially out of composites rather than aluminum. It uses the latest, most fuel-efficient engines, featuring less noise and fewer emissions than current engines. Although smaller than the 777, the 787 has (or will have) an extremely long range.
Presumably, the most important gain for passengers will be in the airlines' ability to fly economically on routes that will allow you to bypass major hubs and avoid connections. The 787 is about the same size as a 767, but it can fly much farther -- and at much lower cost per passenger. That means nonstop services from second-level U.S. cities to major worldwide hubs, and from large U.S. cities to second-level cities in Europe and Asia. Typical routes might include Boston-Zurich, Portland-London, and Kansas City-Tokyo. Clearly, the ability to avoid one or even two connections on a long international flight could be a major advantage, shaving two to five hours off the best connecting schedules.
And Boeing claims important innovations in passenger comfort. The 787 is pressurized to a lower altitude (6,000 feet) than most other jets, so you won't have so much ear-popping. It will provide higher-humidity cabin air, which means less dry skin and fewer nasal problems. Windows are larger than on current jets, and dimming will be electronic rather than fabric shades. And Boeing makes extravagant claims about how its LED lighting system will be able to adjust to your mood.
As to the seating, that depends on how each individual airline decides to outfit its planes. ANA, the first airline to take delivery and fly the 787, has arranged economy seating at eight across, in a 2-4-2 arrangement. Because the 787 cabin is 15 inches wider than Airbus models, its economy seats should be roomier -- and much better than you find on 747s. Some lines, however, will install seats at nine-across, which will be as narrow and undersized as current 737 and 747 seats and far too tight to accommodate American men comfortably.
