NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (Kyodo) — All Nippon Airways Co. received the first of Boeing Co.'s long-delayed 787s at the U.S. manufacturer's plant in Everett in the state of Washington on Sunday to launch the fuel-efficient, wide-body aircraft for passenger service in November.
The Dreamliner, which was initially scheduled to be delivered to the Japanese carrier in May 2008 but saw a series of delays over the years, is due to arrive at Tokyo's Haneda airport Wednesday morning local time.
Airlines across the world have taken interest in the state-of-the-art midsize passenger jet for its fuel efficiency at a time when high crude prices have put pressure on their earnings.
The twin-engine, twin-aisle aircraft, with half of its body made up of carbon composite materials on a weight basis, has about 20 percent improved fuel efficiency compared with existing models.
ANA plans to put the jet into service on domestic routes from November, connecting Tokyo with Okayama and Hiroshima, respectively, and on flights linking Haneda and Frankfurt, Germany, from January.
Boeing made a series of test flights of the 787 in Japan in July after its maiden trans-Pacific voyage, using a different aircraft from the one delivered to ANA.
