British Airways to launch 787-9 Dreamliner on Delhi route in October

British Airways’ new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, complete with a new First class cabin, will start flying to Delhi from October 25th.

The 787-9, the first of which is due to arrive with British Airways in September, is 20ft longer that its 787-8 predecessor (of which the airline has eight), so as well as offering World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and Club World (business class), there’s also room for a new First class cabin – a first for the airline’s 787 fleet.

The First cabin has just eight seats in comparison to the 14 seats available on other British Airways long-haul aircraft, giving even more exclusivity and privacy to customers.

Created specifically for the Boeing 787-9, the new First suites have been painstakingly designed based on feedback from First customers, to put comfort at the heart of the experience and make the very best use of the more intimate space.

The suites now include four new storage areas.

A new ottoman next to the adjustable footstool has enough room for shoes, handbags and personal items, while the personal suiter for jackets and coats is now accessible without the customer having to move from their seat.

A new locker positioned at eye-level is perfect for smaller personal effects such as tablets, spectacles, passport and wash-bags.

A handy mirror has also been fitted to the inside of the locker door for personal grooming.

Customers who need to charge any devices can now do so in a discreet stowage area next to their armrest.

Great attention to detail has also been paid to how the customer uses their suite, with each function being controlled by simple, intuitive touch.

The seat and in-flight entertainment console has been updated with a new handset, much like a smartphone, integrated into the seat from which travellers can control their in-flight entertainment.

During flight, the handset can be docked so that customers are also able to watch one item, such as the moving map, on the handset and another, such as a film, on the 23 inch fixed screen.

This also means travellers will be able to enjoy gate-to-gate entertainment, without having to stow their television for take-off and landing

The new First cabin on the Boeing 787-9 was developed by Forpeople, London, working together with the airlines’ in-house teams and leading British suppliers, including Prototrim, which developed the high quality soft leather and fabric trim within the suite and London based Pritchard Themis who worked on the suite and cabin lighting.

The 787s are the most technologically advanced aircraft in British Airways’ fleet.

Different pressurisation means the internal cabin altitude is the equivalent of 6,000ft, which is 2,000ft lower than on other aircraft.

This leads to greater humidity, reducing the drying effect of the cabin air, so customers arrive feeling more refreshed.

The aircraft’s smooth ride technology also provides extra comfort during any turbulence.

And the airline is revamping 18 of its 747s in-line with the newest arrivals to British Airways’ fleet, the first of which will begin flying from September 2015.

In response to customer demand, the airline is changing the aircraft’s configuration and adding an additional 16 Club World seats.

The jumbos’ cabins are also receiving a cabin face-lift and a new Panasonic eX3 next generation in-flight entertainment system.

With a total of 42 787s destined to join British Airways, the aircraft is to become the mainstay of the airline’s fleet.

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