Qantas Perth to London flight uses Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Qantas has planned to add Perth to London flight in March 2018 using Boeing's Dreamliner aeroplane 787, which is expected to be the longest route in operation. Boeing Regional Director of Product Marketing Justin Hale was confident in saying that the Dreamliner could cover 17-hour flight because the airline installed 236 seats instead of the usual 300 seats.

The Dreamliners comes with improved cabin features that provide experience to the passengers. Windows become larger and which can be dimmed or brightened electronically. Overhead lockers become bigger that can easily swallow up carry-on luggage. The ride becomes less bumpy due to the smooth ride technology.

Vice President and General Manager of Boeing’s 787 program Mark Jenks said that creating faster models are not the priority right now as fuel-efficient aircraft are the focus of the company. He said that their customers are more concern in the amount they spend on fuel as it is a huge part of their operating costs.

Jenks said that Dreamliner models helped some routes to be economically viable which made the aeroplane visible in many parts of the world. He said that even in a not-so-big place like San Jose, California, the 787 model was visible flying from San Jose to Narita, Japan.

Boeing cater to other airlines including Jetstar and Air New Zealand. Jetstar has been flying 787-8s since 2013, while Air New Zealand is using models of 787-9s since 2014.

Boeing and its rival Airbus has been hit by a worldwide downturn in aircraft orders where Boeing sold 100 fewer aircraft in 2016. The sales were down 305 for the Airbus. Although there was a decline in sales, Jenks said that air traffic is increasing and they still feel very good about where the aircraft industry is going. He said that the market's basic dynamics did not change.