UK-Phuket Dreamliner flights will begin one year from now

[PeteC]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/avi ... r-from-now

UK-Phuket Dreamliner flights will begin one year from now

Published: 5/11/2012 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Business

One year from today, Thailand will be served for the first time by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with the global leisure travel group TUI Travel Plc flying the ''toxicologically revolutionary'' jetliner non-stop from the UK.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner travels at Mach 0.85, making it one of the fastest wide-bodied jetliners.

Thomson Airways, TUI's charter airline subsidiary, will launch a weekly flight from London's Gatwick airport to Phuket on Nov 5, 2013.

The southern resort island is among the first long-haul destinations that TUI Travel, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, has announced will be served by its new B787 Dreamliner jets.

Thomson plans the B787 debut on routes from several UK airports _ Gatwick, Manchester, East Midlands and Glasgow _ to Florida and Mexico next May, becoming the first British carrier to deploy the Dreamliner.

Aside from being the first to introduce regular B787 flights to Thailand, the group will also become the only UK holiday company to fly directly to Phuket.

No legacy airlines have announced plans to deploy the innovative mid-sized B787 to Thailand.

''We are thrilled that we are able to offer an exclusive, direct flight to Phuket on the Thomson 787 Dreamliner,'' said Shona Swain, the general manager for long-haul products for Thomson and First Choice, units of TUI UK & Ireland.

A company spokeswoman said the decision to use the Dreamliner on the Phuket route is part of efforts to modernise the holiday experience in Thailand, a popular destination for its clients.

The B787's novelty will enhance Phuket's holiday appeal, which includes its unique concept hotels such as First Choice SplashWorld and Thomson Couples properties in Krabi, Khao Lak and Phuket.

Existing plan calls for Thomson to offer the Dreamliner Phuket service during the high season of Nov 2013 to April 2014.

Thomson's B787 is fitted with two classes _ 47 premium seats and 244 economy seats.

TUI Travel has ordered 13 aircraft of this type, eight of which will go to Thomson.

The airline now has 57 aircraft in its fleet comprising five types _ A320s, A321s, B737s, B757s and B767s _ with an average age of 9.2 years.

All Nippon Airways in September 2011 received the first Dreamliner and was this year joined by Japan Airlines.

Other carriers taking delivery of Dreamliners by year-end are Ethiopian Airlines, Air India, Qatar Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Hainan Airlines, China Southern Airlines, United Airlines and LAN Airlines.

Firm outstanding orders for B787s stand at 838, with 31 delivered as of last Wednesday.

Thai Airways International will join the B787 family in 2014 with an agreement to lease eight of them.

The B787 is the first wide-bodied jet to have more than half its structure made of composite materials instead of aluminium sheets.

Aside from its distinctive raked wings and serrated edges on the engines' cowlings, the Dreamliner offers an innovative cabin interior featuring a futuristic environment with high ceiling, lighting, large overhead bins, bigger windows and newly designed lavatories.

Other innovations include greater levels of passenger comfort, with higher humidity levels within the cabin that reduce passenger dehydration.

[Big Boy]

Thomson's B787 is fitted with two classes _ 47 premium seats and 244 economy seats.

Its variants seat 210 to 290 passengers.

Not so much of a dream then - Thompson are squeezing in more than the maximum number of passengers.

The reason i checked it out is that we picked up very cheap flights with Thompson a few years back. It was a Boeing 767, which I was quite familiar with, as I used to travel on a similar aircraft with BA for work. BA had a seating plan in economy of 2-4-2. Thompson had a seating plan of 3-4-3. The second most uncomfortable journey I've had to and from Thailand. They had to get me in and out of the seats with a SHOE HORN.

[PeteC]

More on the above. Most of the same story with some additions. I wonder why the BKP is pushing this one so much? Pete

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tou ... ect-flight

[Sanctum]

Dreamliner flights directly from Oslo to Swampy are commencing June 1st by Norwegian Airline "Norwegian". Prices for return trip mainly in the range 450 to 550 Euro. Will certainly give Thai Airways a run for their money! They have been alone on the direct route OSL-BKK for some years now, and have certainly used their position!

Sanctum

[blue05]

Dreamliner flights directly from Oslo to Swampy are commencing June 1st by Norwegian Airline "Norwegian". Prices for return trip mainly in the range 450 to 550 Euro. Will certainly give Thai Airways a run for their money! They have been alone on the direct route OSL-BKK for some years now, and have certainly used their position!

Sanctum

now need cheap flights from UK to Oslo,,,

[JuiceLover]

Norwegian is also starting up a Dreamliner route Stockholm - Bangkok this summer.

[Sanctum]

Norwegian are alternating destinations between Oslo and Stockholm. Cheap flights from UK (Gatwick) to OSL or ARN are freely available on their homepage, so why not take a peek? I am NOT working for them, but Norwegian is a very successful low-price airline, and one of the first to start intercontinental low price flights with brand new aircraft right off the production line.

3 months ago they signed contracts for 300+ brand new aircraft for delivery over the next few years.

Their intercontinental flights so far will go Bangkok- Oslo/Stockholm-New York, and their fares are extremely competitive. Will be interesting to follow their growth in the coming years.

[caller]

Personally, I wouldn't touch the dreamliner until all the problems that seem to be happening have been ironed out!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20942484

[blue05]

Personally, I wouldn't touch the dreamliner until all the problems that seem to be happening have been ironed out!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20942484

pretty sure not too many will fall out of the sky

[StevePIraq]

But how many Dreamliners have not managed to get into the air, if these problems had occurred just 30 minutes later then it could have been disaster

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20967387
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20716997

[StevePIraq]

I think I will avoid the Dreamliner for the next few years

Top Japan airlines ground Boeing 787s after emergency
Japan's two main airlines have grounded their Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one was forced to make an emergency landing because of battery problems.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) grounded its fleet of 17 Dreamliners after its flight NH 692 from Yamaguchi Ube was forced to land shortly after takeoff.

Japan Airlines followed suit, saying it would ground its fleet of seven 787s from 16 January until further notice.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21038128

[Khundon1975]

Not so much a Dreamliner but a nightmare, if one did fall out of the sky.

My wife was on one a couple of weeks ago and she got to where she was going no probs.

[AllanH]

Look on the bright side, if the planes are all grounded then Phuket will be quieter

[pharvey]

What's this going to cost Boeing? Compensation, late deliveries, drop in share price in the short term? Future orders lost to Airbus possibly? First fleet grounded since 1979 - seemingly a relations nightmare...

Boeing has suspended deliveries of its new 787 Dreamliner aircraft until a battery problem is resolved.

An email from the US aerospace giant said it would continue to build the plane, but not deliver any until US safety officials gave their backing.

The Federal Aviation Administration has joined the Dreamliner investigation.

All 50 of Boeing's 787s have been suspended from flying since an All Nippon Airways flight on Wednesday made an emergency landing due to a fault.

"We will not deliver 787s until the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] approves a means of compliance with their recent Airworthiness Directive concerning batteries and the approved approach has been implemented," said a Boeing spokesman in an email.

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said earlier the Dreamliner would not fly again under authorities were "1,000% sure" it is safe.

A string of issues in recent weeks has raised questions about the 787, which is the first major aircraft grounding since 1979.

Dreamliners have suffered incidents including fuel leaks, a cracked cockpit window, brake problems and an electrical fire. However, it is the battery problems that have caused the most concern.

Battery inspection

This week, US and European aviation regulators said planes should be grounded while safety checks are carried out on their lithium ion batteries.

On Friday, US officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board joined the Japanese probe at Takamatsu airport in western Japan.

The Japan Transport Safety Board said the battery and the systems around it would be sent to Tokyo for more checks, adding there were similarities with an earlier battery fire on a 787 in Boston operated by Japan Airlines.

The pilot of the ANA plane made an emergency landing on Wednesday after he smelled burning and received a cockpit warning of battery problems. All passengers evacuated the plane on emergency slides.

The investigation is being led by the Japan Transport Safety Board.

Boeing is investing heavily in the 787 Dreamliner, and needs to sell 1,100 over the next decade to break even. It has stood by the integrity of the Dreamliner, which has been in service since October 2011.

Together with European rival Airbus, it dominates the global airliner market.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21095056

[Lung Per]

Everything, and i do mean EVERYTHING on the dreamliner is now being thoroughly checked. Once this check is over and defects have been located and dealt with, this will be the safest airplane in our time. I can wait!