OREANDA-NEWS. July 09, 2012. Qatar Airways, the Middle East launch customer of the Boeing 787, will set an industry milestone at Farnborough International Air Show starting tomorrow when its first Dreamliner takes to the skies in a never-seen-before public flying display.


The aircraft is scheduled to participate in a hallmark feature of the air show calendar – the afternoon flying programme.

The seven-minute demonstration flights will showcase the sophisticated engineering and visual appeal of the aircraft, giving tens of thousands of aviation enthusiasts from around the world, as well as the global aerospace industry, a first-hand glimpse of the Qatar Airways’ Dreamliner in flight.

The aerial display also marks the first ever, and much anticipated, Dreamliner flying demonstration at an international aerospace event. Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787 is scheduled to take to the skies between 1600 hrs and 1630hrs (GMT) on the first three days of the air show –July 9, 10 and 11. The aircraft will also be on static display before taking to the skies.

The take-off, landing, visual appeal of the airplane in flight and its quiet performance, will be watched closely by the tens of thousands of visitors expected to attend Farnborough during the first three days of the show.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker, who will officially unveil the Dreamliner to the international media on July 9, said: “We are thrilled to showcase Qatar Airways’ Dreamliner at Farnborough this year and the debut of our Boeing 787 in Qatar Airways’ livery marks a significant milestone for our airline.”

“The first of our 60 Boeing 787s on order will set new standards in service and excellence as we continue to grow aggressively, bringing a heightened level of luxury and state-of-the-art engineering to the skies with these new-generation aircraft.”

To compliment the Dreamliner’s engineering feat, Qatar Airways has gone all out with the seat design, which is revolutionary and proprietary to the airline. Qatar Airways worked closely with Boeing to have custom-made seats fitted on the aircraft – providing space and comfort as part of the carrier’s renowned award-winning Five Star experience.

The seat configuration makes Qatar Airways an industry leader with innovative design a hallmark of the interiors. Business Class is configured 1–2–1, featuring seats that convert into fully flat horizontal beds, while Economy Class has a 3–3–3 cabin layout.

Qatar Airways’ new 787s feature a total of 254 seats in a two-class configuration of 22 in Business and 232 in Economy.

Passengers can catch up on their sleep onboard with fully flat 80-inch long and 30-inch wide Business Class seats, while Economy offers 32-inch pitch seats providing a new level of comfort in the skies.

Keeping in line with technological advances, Qatar Airways has included an award-winning iTouch touch control unit, through which more than 1,000 movies, programming and audio entertainment options are accessible, together with an iPort, USB port and remote data outlet for the discerning tech savvy traveller. The airline also offers plenty of storage space for personal items and more in both cabin classes.

Upon entering service, Qatar Airways’ first 787 will initially operate on intra-Gulf routes before making its maiden long-haul commercial flight between Doha and London Heathrow.

The Farnborough Air Show provides the ideal platform to provide a live display of the advanced technologies applied to Qatar Airways’ all-new airplane design, which increases efficiency, simplifies aircraft operations and provides great space and comfort.

The Qatar Airways’ Dreamliner represents the next step in the airline’s commitment to expand its young and technically advanced fleet.

The first-time presence of the Dreamliner at Farnborough follows on from the international debut of the airline’s 787 Business and Economy Class seats at ITB Berlin – the world’s largest travel fair – and at the Middle East travel show, Arabian Travel Market, over the past few months.