Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Boeing 787 Dreamliner 

The Boeing 787 has been nicknamed the Dreamliner by becoming the airplane we all dreamed about flying in.  The Dreamliner features unrivaled comfort for the passengers and a range that lets customers travel non-stop to their destinations.  The Dreamliner is also the first airplane to be made completely out of composite material instead of the heavy aluminum that planes have traditionally used.  This allows the airlines to save more money on their largest expense, fuel and pass the savings on to the customers.  The 787 combines the mega range of the larger 777 with the fuel efficiency of that of the mid-sized 737.  We have seen for the fist time the emergence of a budget long-haul airlines such as Norwegian Airlines.  With their fleet of 787 Dreamliners Norwegian has been able to charge $60 one way for a transatlantic flight to Europe.  This has been made possible because of the 787's astonishing 104 miles per gallon per seat.  Compared to the gas-guzzling Boeing 747-400 at 74 miles per gallon per seat, the choice of many budget airlines has been to buy newer aircraft with better mpg/ seat.  The combination of efficient GE engines, lightweight design, state of the art cockpit controls, and the great cabin features which will help comfort passengers on their long journeys.  The 787 has also allowed for more point to point travel and allowed passengers to travel non-stop from small cities to a larger destination a long distance.  Such low demand routes do not warrant to using a large aircraft such as the 747 or A380 but there is enough demand to run a 250 seat 787 a few times a week.  We have seen this now with Norwegian Airlines operating  non-stop flights from Providence TF- Green Airport to Ireland, Norway, and the United Kingdom.  The benefit to the customers is that we are able to get a cheaper ticket since we are not paying for two or three plane rides.  It also increases customer satisfaction.  Because instead of taking passengers to your hub it allows them to go straight to their destination without spending more time at an airport.  This is the hub and spoke model of transportation and allows for fewer planes to be operational by funneling passengers through your hub to catch their connecting flight.  This can cause problems since one delayed flight can create an avalanche of other delayed flights and others missing their connecting flight and having to spend the time to rebook your flight.  With the point to point model passengers need not connect into their hub but fly directly to their destination.   These low demand routes will be filled since there is still demand and the prices are low enough to attract people to buy the tickets.  The 787 Dreamliner has revolutionized the airline industry and brought long haul flight to the masses by offering airlines a reliable, light, and cheap to operate plane that allows everyone to travel. 

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