Boeing and Japan Airlines (JAL) celebrated the delivery of the airline’s first two Boeing 787 Dreamliners. JAL is the first airline to take delivery of a 787 powered by General Electric GEnx engines.
“JAL will be the first airline to start new routes that have never been flown before by taking full advantage of the efficiencies of this aircraft, starting with Boston service next month and San Diego later this year,” said Yoshiharu Ueki, president of Japan Airlines. “The 787 with GEnx engines has the performance economics that JAL is looking for to ensure route profitability, and also the enhanced in-flight comfort that our customers will be delighted with.”
“GE is proud that its GEnx-1B engines will power JAL’s Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner,” said Chuck Nugent, vice president and general manager of the GEnx program at GE Aviation. “The GEnx engine combines advanced technology and material to offer improved fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and less noise to benefit our operators.”
JAL’s 787 Dreamliner is configured in two classes with 42 seats in business and 144 seats in economy. The airline will fit its newest Executive Class JAL SHELL FLAT NEO seats that are 5 cm (2 inches) wider than the seats now fitted on JAL’s Boeing 777s, in a 2-2-2 configuration. Lavatories in Executive Class also feature a special warm-water washlet, jointly developed by Toto, JAMCO and Boeing. The 144 Economy Class seats have 2 cm (0.8 inches) wider space than current seats and arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration.
JAL plans to deploy their Boeing 787s on routes between Tokyo and Beijing, Moscow, New Delhi and Singapore as soon as subsequent aircraft are delivered.
Photo (c) Boeing