Its Time For Airlines To Shine 787 Style

Move over Boeing, its our party now as Qatar loads its first passengers on a complimentary adventure and delivery flight from Seattle to Doha.

Eight Airlines have taken deliveries and are experiencing, the fun- end of the business, Qatar is putting on a party while making some money. The passengers are the ultimate benefactors of the 787.  The experience is like having the perfect bed to sleep in, while on the road. You enter the 787, sit down, and fly for 16 hours.  You get off in the same condition you got on, and remark, "that was no big deal of a flight, I didn't see many differences".  At that point you've been "had" without knowing it. You paid a ticket, arrive rested, and no big deal. Some new toys to play with on your Journey, so who cares. What did Boeing do to pull the wool over a travelers eyes?

787 News Update 11-16-12 Qatar's Stars Shines

However, it is the biggest deal going for a multitude of reasons. The airlines sold you a ticket on an Aircraft that flies smoother, quieter and gives your mind a psychological break by messaging your thoughts with a plethora of mood enhancing light shows.  No big deal, right? Not only that, you breath better without altitude sickness symptoms. "Okay if I haven't convinced you yet, just go ahead and stare out the window and keep staring until you land, and have a nice day without knowing why. Oh, I guess I mentioned windows once, never mind! If having a conversation without upping  your voice volume, so my seatmate can hear, then sleeping should be better with those quiet engines lulling you asleep."

In the old days, I took a flight on a DC-3 and listen to every pop, crackle and wing stretch coming from the engine area. I watched the wing flex in fear, rather than in admiration, as on the 787. The light show came from the engines as sparks flew off the engine cowling. You would think the engine was on fire, but it wasn't, it was doing what piston aircraft engines do, they pretend to be on fire. I chewed my gum the flight attendant gave me, to clear my ears from pressure build up. The aircraft had a cabin pressure of about 15,000 feet, coincidentally we were flying 15,000 feet. I counted the minutes we stayed aloft, since I was  a teenager going to football game, flying four hundred miles enabled time to work on math skills counting minutes through the new found fear method. Upon landing you really, really thank the airline crew from the bottom of your heart, because you are walking off the flight! This current generation does not even know the meaning of the thrill flying until you fly over the Rocky Mountains during a winter storm in a twin prop. I look out the port hole and see up close the rock formations as we clear the Rockies.  However, The 787, is no big deal!  Did we even cross the Rocky Mountains? I was too busy with the touch screen in front of me to notice. The flight attendants are oblige to say thank you for flying (whatever airline name insert here), and have a nice day.  No prayer of thanks needed, departing the 787, unlike the DC-3, just a brief mental acknowledgement of that was different than metal A-330 aircraft, once again no big deal.

No Jetway just a few steps up and in. I love the 787.

I was sitting near the curtain watching sparks and hearing all kinds on noises back in 1969. Notice no push button shades and no silent wing flex and check out the luggage bins overhead.  Note the cargo net separating the passenger area from the captain and co-pilot. My first flight was entertaining and more death-deflying than the circus.

I want everyone to pay attention to your ticket price for the airlines sake.  This same ticket purchased for a ride on the 787 goes to support these cost items, (sarcasm added below).

Fuel, 20% savings, no matter the price of fuel.
Maintenance 30% savings no matter where the hanger.
All Electric Architecture gives the 787 premium efficiencies.
Core Technology central throughout the aircraft manages operations.

Just ask ANA for those numbers.

Yet your ticket price didn't go down, and you shouldn't mind that at all. If it cost you the same to ride in an old Taxi cab compared to a luxury automobile. I would jump into a new Rolls Royce over an old Checker cab at the same price.  Value is something hard for most travelers to grasp at times. The 787 is the best value flying. Its all about the ride not airlines savings. Cheap tickets will align after the down payment is paid up through fuel and maintenance savings.

No, the 787, is not just another airplane, classifying it as no different than what you've been on before is just raw ignorance. It is the biggest change in travel since the Wright Brothers. If you think otherwise then your sensibilities need a review.

Closing this blog with this thought, If you didn't notice a difference on the 787, then Boeing did its job of eliminating the things people do notice when they travel.