From the CEO
over the past few weeks, aircraft parts have been flown on a specially modified B747 from around the world to Boeing’s factory in Seattle, where they’ll be assembled to form the first Qantas Dreamliner. We’ve had hundreds of aircraft built throughout the years but this one is particularly special. It has a lot of new technology that allows us to do some pretty amazing things.
In the 1950s, the B707 cut flying time across the Pacific Ocean from days to hours. In the ’70s, the size of the B747 changed the economics of travel forever. And 10 years ago, the Airbus A380 introduced a new level of passenger comfort. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is the next in that line of revolutionary aircraft, putting routes such as Perth to London nonstop within reach.
Our preparations for the Dreamliner started long before the parts started arriving in Seattle. And our focus has been on making the long journeys it’s capable of as comfortable as possible. Our customer experience, engineering and design experts have been working with Boeing to tailor every detail for maximum comfort and in doing so have developed the most advanced long-haul aircraft of its type in the world.
Qantas’s Dreamliner has features in the Economy seats that other airlines reserve for Premium Economy, a Business Suite nicknamed “mini First Class” by many of our Frequent Flyers and a Premium Economy that we’re confident will set new standards for the industry.
In partnership with The University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre, we’ve also developed a new approach to onboard service aimed at improving wellness. The centre brings together our customer service experts with researchers in a variety of fields to look at nutrition, physical activity and sleep patterns. Together we’ll develop strategies to counteract jet lag, including exercises that increase inflight movement, menus and service designed to maximise sleep and cabin lighting that helps you adjust to changing time zones.
This is on top of technology built into the Dreamliner by Boeing, such as improved air quality, reduced cabin noise and technology that smooths out turbulence and cuts fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
The first of eight Dreamliners will land next month, operating on domestic sectors for crew training and familiarisation before its inaugural flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles in December. By then, the second aircraft will have arrived.
The Dreamliners will replace our older B747s; we retired one just last month. As exciting as the new arrivals are, it’s bittersweet to see an aircraft that has served us so well fly off into the sunset. VH-OJM, which was its registration, flew more than four million people around the world and safely back home again. So as we make room in our hangars, we look forward to welcoming our new flagship aircraft to the fleet. I hope you take the opportunity to experience the Qantas Dreamliner.