787 goes into UK service

Last Friday saw charter airline Thomson Airways become the first British carrier to put the Boeing 787 Dreamliner into service, replacing a Boeing 737 on a flight out of Gatwick to Mahon (Minorca).

Business Travel News was on board and an ON TOUR will follow, an impressive experience.  The aircraft is more spacious, less noisy, has bigger windows, handles turbulence with ease and – being pressurised to 6,000ft – provides a significantly more comfortable cabin environment than older aircraft.  The Thomson 787 offers 47 seats (38-inch pitch) for Premium Club passengers and 244 seats (33- or 34-inch pitch) for those in Economy.  Novel features like the revolutionary dimmable windows, advanced IFE system and the special ‘Thomson Wave’ lighting effect, add to the ‘Dreamliner’ package. 

Aboard the flight, TUI Travel UK & Ireland Managing Director, David Burling, said: “Today has been several months and years in the planning – and after a lot of hard work, I am absolutely thrilled to celebrate the first flight from London Gatwick which is a very important event in the company’s history.  We are very proud to be the first UK airline to fly the Dreamliner”.

Several more route proving flights are planned.  The first official operation is set for 8 July, Glasgow – Cancun and Manchester – Sanford. www.thomsonfly.com

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