Qantas buys more Dreamliners
A report in the Sun Herald and Sydney Morning Herald says that Qantas announced yesterday it was buying another 20 Boeing 787 long-haul aircraft as part of a massive fleet expansion first announced 18 months ago.
CEO Geoff Dixon said the extra 20 Dreamliners were on top of an order for 65 of the twin-engined, wide-bodied aircraft that the airline placed in December 2005
At the time, Qantas said it had placed firm orders for 65 Dreamliners and reserved purchase rights on 50 more, taking the total potential fleet expansion to 115 aircraft.
At a press conference before today’s formal roll-out of the 787s, Boeing officials in the US declared that the composite plastics that make up about 50% of the plane were here to stay.
Jeff Hawk, Boeing’s director of certification for the 787 program, said he was unaware of any drawbacks to using composites.
Twice as strong as conventional materials, lighter than aluminium and offering greater resistance to fire, state-of-the-art carbon fibre will be used in the fuselage of a commercial passenger jet for the first time in the 787, a medium- to long-range aeroplane capable of seating 330 passengers.
The lighter weight of the aircraft’s materials means the Dreamliner can make massive savings on fuel – about 20 per cent less – than similar-sized aircraft, Boeing says.
With the aviation industry responsible for using about 4% of the world’s annual consumption of fossil fuels, the Dreamliner’s vastly superior fuel efficiency is likely to be attractive to airlines.
Airlines using the Dreamliner also stand to make big savings in operating costs because the aircraft’s lower weight means carriers will pay less in landing fees, which are calculated on the tonnage of the plane.
Mr Dixon said the December 2005 order enabled Qantas to lock in competitive pricing and secure delivery slots for the planes which are in high demand.
“The additional aircraft will better enable Qantas and Jetstar to take advantage of growth opportunities for point-to-point flying in the Asia-Pacific region, and to new international destinations in Europe, India and the Americas,” he said in a statement issued from Boeing headquarters in Seattle.
Qantas would take delivery of the first 787s in July 2008, with the first 15 earmarked for its budget carrier Jetstar, Mr Dixon said.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports