Thursday, August 01, 2013

Royal Brunei Airlines first to use dreamliner in Southeast Asia


Brunei Darussalam is set to make a significant mark in the world of air travel as Royal Brunei Airlines (RB), the Sultanate’s national carrier, has made great strides towards setting itself apart from the competition by becoming the first airline in Southeast Asia to operate Boeing’s technologically advanced 787-8 Dreamliner, Borneo Bulletin reported.

RB has purchased five Dreamliners, the first of which will be delivered and will embark on its ferry flight to Brunei in late September or early October.

In line with its initiative to rebrand itself, Boeing’s Dreamliner is an aircraft that appears to line up perfectly with the direction that RB is taking.

RB wants to be recognised as “a stylish small airline situated .in an interesting and attractive location” and aims to be a “boutique airline”.

The 787 Dreamliner is therefore being touted as the perfect complement to this new direction that RB wishes to take.

Over the last three days, Corporate Communications personnel from RB along with members of the media have been taking a closer look at the progress of the airline’s new planes in Seattle, two of which are currently undergoing the assembly process at Boeing’s Everett Factory, the world’s largest building by volume.

“It elevates our status and gets our name out there,” said Azhani Abu Daniel, RB’s Head of Corporate Communications, on the airline being the first carrier in Southeast Asia to bring in the Dreamliners. “We needed a better product; and this is the better product.

“It is through the marriage of ground-breaking innovations such as the first dedicated Dreamliner long-haul services and a long-term commitment to the simple pleasures of high class customer service that RB is helping put its home nation on the map, for all the right reasons.

“The innovative Dreamliner is in line with Brunei’s commitment to progress … whether for business or pleasure, travellers can be assured the timeless values of hospitality and grace remains strong in our Southeast Asian paradise.”

The Dreamliner is an exciting prospect and the Corporate Communications Head said that it will allow RB to provide an unrivalled passenger experience.

This is down to the 787's many innovative features that are designed to focus on exactly that – the passengers’ flight experience.

What the Dreamliner offers is a calmer cabin with comfort that comes from cleaner and healthier air reduced cabin noise and a lower cabin altitude, as research by Boeing has found that the closer the cabin altitude is to that of sea altitude, the more comfortable a passenger will be.

It also offers dynamic LED lighting in place of fluorescent lighting, allowing the airline to set the mood using both vibrant and subtle colours to define the atmosphere onboard, be it for sunrise, night or even meal times.

The aircraft is also made primarily of composites, the use of which has allowed for Boeing to build a plane that has advanced aerodynamics for a smoother ride.

There are also sensors around the various outer areas of the airplane that can detect turbulence, and help make adjustments to minimise it: allowing for a more comfortable flight experience.

With the Dreamliner, RB will have a plane that boasts a notable improvement in windows. The windows on the 787 are much taller and a bit wider than the standard size. This increase in window length allows even passengers who are sitting in the centre rows of the aircraft to be able to see outside.

These windows are dimmable. Gone are the window shades of older models, and in have come windows using a clever piece of technology that allows passengers to set how much light comes in through the window; dimming and brightening to their liking, without having to completely shut out the outside. The reason for this is that, from their research into passenger comfort, it has been found that people want to feel connected to the flight experience, and one big part of this is in being able to see outside, and in particular, the horizon line, to get that perspective of being up in the air.

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