Chris Browne MD of Thomson Airways at Farnborough
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner made its debut at the Farnborough Airshow at the weekend.
Dubbed “the limousine of the skies”, the plane offers passengers more space, wider aisles and seats and a smoother and quieter flight. It is also highly fuel-efficient.
Windows are much bigger than on regular passenger jets and there is a LED lighting system which mimics sunrise and sunset to help passengers acclimatise to new time zones.
TUI is to take delivery of the 787 this year and will be the first UK airline to fly the plane.
The lighter plane can cover longer distances in one go and TUI has predicted boosts in interest to destinations such as Borneo, Bali, Hawaii and Mauritius.
British Airways, meanwhile, has ordered 24 of the new aircraft which will join its longhaul fleet from 2012.
It said its design team is already working on developing the 787’s interior which will have a premium feel throughout the cabin.
By Bev Fearis
