Lighter, quieter and greener – The Boeing 787 arrives
NORTH West holidaymakers will be able to fly further and in greater comfort from Manchester from this summer after Thomson took delivery of the first of its fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft from manufacturer Boeing.
The aircraft, although state of the art, is actually much smaller than rival Airbus’ hulking A380. It carries 291 compared to 517 that can travel on the A380.
Where the Dreamliner comes into its own though is its environmental features – it uses 20% less fuel than similar-sized aircraft as its chassis is made of a high-tech composite material, making it much lighter.
It is surprisingly quiet too, given the size of the hulking GEC engines which power the aircraft.
Todd Nelp, Boeing’s vice president of European sales said: “The Dreamliner’s noise footprint is 60% less than the current generations of airplanes, so it’s going to be a great friend to the local community too.”
Mr Nelp said the design of the aircraft, with larger windows, reduced altitude pressure in the cabin, should make a big difference to the quality of the flight for passengers.
Thomson will use the 787 on its Manchester to Cancun in Mexico and to Sanford, Florida routes from July 8. The airline is already planning to use the aircraft on new long-haul destinations such as Mauritius and Thailand, though it has not been decided yet if it will operate theses routes from Manchester.
Chris Browne, managing director of Thomson Airways, who was on board the aircraft for the 9.5-hour flight from the Boeing factory to Manchester, said: “We hope our customers will enjoy the unique experience of this revolutionary aircraft.
“The introduction of the Dreamliner is a major milestone in our journey of modernising the holiday experience.”
Ken O’Toole, chief commercial officer for Manchester Airports Group said: “The aircraft opens up new possibilities for the long haul market from Manchester and East Midlands Airport and we aim to support Thomson to realise the potential of the new aircraft.”
