Qantas unveils its game changing Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

QANTAS has added a flashy new plane to its fleet which has better seats, bigger windows, cleaner air quality and ride dampening technology to minimise the effects of turbulence.

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IT’S the plane truth — direct flights to London from Australia in under 20 hours are about to land within the realms of possibility.

In 1919 the first flight from Britain to Australia took 135 hours, but next March Qantas begins non-stop flights from Perth to London in just 17 hours. The direct flights are possible with the carrier adding Great Southern Land, the first of eight Boeing Dreamliner 787s, to its fleet at a ceremony in Seattle yesterday. The new Dreamliner will also fly from Melbourne to Los Angeles six days a week.

Qantas has received its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane. Picture: Qantas

The aircraft that will have new levels of comfort for travellers. Picture: Qantas

Qantas CEO, Alan Joyce, second from left, unveils the new Dreamliner.

It features reduced cabin pressure, increased air ­humidity and ambient lighting, as well as changes to service to help reduce jet lag.

“We’re working with sleep specialists, dietitians and other scientists at the University of Sydney to see how adjustments to our ­in-flight service can improve wellbeing,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce (right) said.

The 236-passenger cap­acity has the airline ditching first class for 42 business class seats, 28 premium economy, and 166 economy making it “best in class” for space, with extra storage.

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The game-changing aircraft will open up new global routes. Picture: Edward Boyd

An inside look of the Boeing factory in Seattle. Picture: Qantas

The windows are 65 per cent bigger and the Dreamliner uses up to 20 per cent less fuel and produces lower carbon and nitrogen oxide emissions than other planes of a similar size.

“It will reshape what people come to expect from inter­national travel,” Mr Joyce said.

The remaining Dreamliners will be added to the Qantas fleet by late 2018 allowing the carrier to phase out five older Boeing 747-400s.

Qantas has also challenged Boeing and Airbus to make passenger planes to fly direct from Sydney to London or New York by the early 2020s as part of its Project Sunrise push.

Great Southern Land ­arrives in Sydney on Friday.

The writers travelled to Seattle as guests of Qantas

Originally published as Qantas unveils its game changing Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner