Singapore Airlines (SIA) has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787-10 from the manufacturer’s production facility in North Charleston, South Carolina. SIA is the world’s first airline to take delivery of Boeing’s newest aircraft variant, which is due to enter commercial service next month.
The aircraft – the first of 49 787-10s that SIA has on firm order – was formally delivered at a ceremony in North Charleston (evening of 25 March 2018 local time) attended by SIA CEO Mr Goh Choon Phong. Also, in attendance were Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Mr Kevin McAllister, Rolls-Royce Director Customers and Services – Civil Aerospace Mr Dominic Horwood, some three thousand Boeing employees as well as invited guests.
“It is an honour for us to be the world’s first airline to take delivery of this amazing aircraft. The 787-10 is indeed a magnificent piece of engineering and truly a work of art. It will be an important element in our overall growth strategy, enabling us to expand our network and strengthen our operations,” said Mr Goh at the delivery event.
Mr McAllister added: “This is a big day for all of us at Boeing and for our global supplier partners. We are thrilled to deliver the first 787-10 Dreamliner to Singapore Airlines, one of the world’s leading carriers. And we are honoured by Singapore Airlines’ partnership and trust, as reflected by their repeated orders for the Dreamliner.”
SIA’s 787-10s will be used for flights up to eight hours. Osaka and Perth will be the first scheduled destinations to be served by the new aircraft, from May 2018. Prior to the introduction of these services, the aircraft will be operated on selected flights to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur for crew training purposes.
Constructed using lightweight composite materials, the 68-metre 787-10 is the longest variant of Boeing’s Dreamliner range of aircraft. With exceptional operating efficiency and advanced technology, the newest addition to the Airline’s fleet is designed to offer a more tranquil cabin experience. Customers can look forward to customisable lighting preferences with large electronically dimmable windows, cleaner air, and a quieter and smoother ride.
SIA is the largest customer for the 787-10. Low-cost subsidiary Scoot is already an operator of both 787-8s and 787-9s, making SIA the first airline group in the world to operate all three variants of Boeing’s Dreamliner family of aircraft.
In addition to the 49 firm-ordered 787-10s, SIA has a firm order with Boeing for 20 777-9s, which are due for delivery from the 2021/22 financial year.
