Air China Receives Its First 787

KarelXWB · Tue May 24, 2016 2:02 pm

And so Air China becomes a new 787 operator.

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Photo © Lee Sung

Cabin configuration:

Quote:
The 787-9 is configured with 293 seats in a three-class layout - 30 lie-flat seats in Business Class (2-2-2) in rows of 11-15, 34 seats in Premium Economy Class, arranged 3-3-3 from rows 31 through 34, and 229 Economy seats also stacked 3-3-3 from rows 35 through 61.

Photo gallery of the cabin:

http://www.chinaaviationdaily.com/news/52/52526.html

kaitak744 · Tue May 24, 2016 4:07 pm

And that is how you manage to make a brand new aircraft look 20 years old.

PEK777 · Tue May 24, 2016 4:36 pm

This plane is a real beauty and the fact it can make Air China's beat up old livery look good is a testament to that.

EddieDude · Tue May 24, 2016 4:36 pm

Thanks for the post KarelXWB.

Seems it is the same J-class seat as AM.

Their "Premium Economy" is really a few rows of Economy with extra-legroom and probably recline. Not really a Premium Economy class.

PEK777 · Tue May 24, 2016 4:37 pm

They have a window in the John! Never seen that.

solnabo · Tue May 24, 2016 5:20 pm

Eeeewwww

The most bland cabin I´ve ever seen - even SK´s cabin looks better

B8887 · Tue May 24, 2016 5:50 pm

I have to say those interior shots do not look particularly fashionable. Elegant and classic on the outside though.

Regards.

B8887

Spiderguy252 · Tue May 24, 2016 8:46 pm

All of the Chinese carriers - with the exception perhaps of Hainan - need a collective livery refresh.

This is 2016, not 1981.

ZeeZoo · Tue May 24, 2016 8:50 pm

Quoting kaitak744 (Reply 1):
And that is how you manage to make a brand new aircraft look 20 years old.

I too browse r/aviation.

winginit · Tue May 24, 2016 8:53 pm

Quoting Spiderguy252 (Reply 7):

All of the Chinese carriers - with the exception perhaps of Hainan - need a collective livery refresh.

This is 2016, not 1981.

I still don't understand why CZ didn't roll out their special 787 livery to the entire fleet. It was absolutely beautiful

a380787 · Tue May 24, 2016 9:11 pm

If any airline REALLY needs a new livery, it's Air China not United. That 1960s Chairman Mao look is so out.

If they want a mostly white but timeless design, look at NH, LH, or LX.

SXDFC · Tue May 24, 2016 9:53 pm

Quoting kaitak744 (Reply 1):
And that is how you manage to make a brand new aircraft look 20 years old.

Quoting PEK777 (Reply 2):
Air China's beat up old livery

Quoting a380787 (Reply 10):

If any airline REALLY needs a new livery, it's Air China not United. That 1960s Chairman Mao look is so out.

If Air China came out with a new livery, guaranteed it would be slammed by many on this site. You'd also have quite a few folks here missing the "classic timeless old livery."

Motorhussy · Tue May 24, 2016 10:31 pm

Quoting EddieDude (Reply 3):
Their "Premium Economy" is really a few rows of Economy with extra-legroom and probably recline. Not really a Premium Economy class.

Agreed; totally a Y+ vs PE.

Quoting a380787 (Reply 10):
If any airline REALLY needs a new livery, it's Air China not United. That 1960s Chairman Mao look is so out.

Weirdly, I like the oddly anachronistic look of it. Maybe a refresh rather than a revolution is needed IMHO... but then again, I liked the old Varig livery before they screwed with it.

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Photo © Robert M. Campbell

bcbhokie · Tue May 24, 2016 10:32 pm

Quoting Spiderguy252 (Reply 7):

All of the Chinese carriers - with the exception perhaps of Hainan - need a collective livery refresh.

I'd submit that Xiamen Air's livery is also credible. But MU/CZ/CA all need to pretty much start from scratch...

OneSexyL1011 · Tue May 24, 2016 10:37 pm

Quoting kaitak744 (Reply 1):

And that is how you manage to make a brand new aircraft look 20 years old.

I lol'd at this statement. Its perfect. That livery and interior choice really does make it look like its 20-30 years old.

IndianicWorld · Tue May 24, 2016 11:00 pm

The interior of that CA 787 really does seem like an odd choice.

Quoting BCBHokie (Reply 13):
But MU/CZ/CA all need to pretty much start from scratch...

MU did start from scratch... it just took away all the colour in the process

yeogeo · Tue May 24, 2016 11:34 pm

Quoting SXDFC (Reply 11):
If Air China came out with a new livery, guaranteed it would be slammed by many on this site. You'd also have quite a few folks here missing the "classic timeless old livery."

Hee-hee.

so true!

yeogeo

N415XJ · Wed May 25, 2016 1:51 am

Aw, come on! Everybody always whines and complaines about how "cheatlines are gone and everything is boring and eurowhite and swoops and *grumble* *grumble* *grumble*". I love it because it's cool to see a livery that looks retro on modern planes like the 787 and 748, the Chinese Caligraphy is really nice, and 2 decades after the end of the cold war the "People's Socialist Bureau of Revolutionary Proletariat Air Travel and Joyful Recreation" look is truly unique outside of China and North Korea.

YellowRibbon · Wed May 25, 2016 2:27 am

The livery looks quite nice on it. It's definitely dated but it's better than some 'Generic Meaningless Swoosh' livery. Agreed, horizontal straight lines are becoming rarer and rarer.

nickflightx · Wed May 25, 2016 4:04 am

Anyone see them sending this to SJC? I know Air China is having problems with the CAAC on this route, but when they resolve it, they may reapply with this and not an A332.

legacyins · Wed May 25, 2016 4:53 am

Quoting nickflightx (Reply 19):
Anyone see them sending this to SJC? I know Air China is having problems with the CAAC on this route, but when they resolve it, they may reapply with this and not an A332.

The CAAC and US Transport approved this flight. The problem was forward booking were in the 30% range.

Aither · Wed May 25, 2016 5:21 am

There is not much to dream about in this cabin...
Good, premium Chinese travellers will continue to fly through Korea!

OneSexyL1011 · Wed May 25, 2016 7:36 am

Quoting YellowRibbon (Reply 18):
The livery looks quite nice on it. It's definitely dated but it's better than some 'Generic Meaningless Swoosh' livery. Agreed, horizontal straight lines are becoming rarer and rarer.

I get what you're saying. It just seems like a 787 isn't the right kind of airplane for straight cheat lines. The plane seems to have a natural "flow" to it that doesn't seem to work with straight lines.

I don't know, maybe Its just me...

LAX772LR · Wed May 25, 2016 7:49 am

Quoting SXDFC (Reply 11):
If Air China came out with a new livery, guaranteed it would be slammed by many on this site. You'd also have quite a few folks here missing the "classic timeless old livery."

And heaven help them if they took out the "VIP" in their tail emblem... it'd be the damn "Tulip" all over again!

PhoenixVIP · Wed May 25, 2016 7:57 am

You never get an airline livery where 100% like it. Yes it remains a symbol for our country and the flag carrier and the carrier for our leaders but it means nothing for the travelling public who are concerned about getting to their destination. Until perhaps the communist party is overthrown or the colours are linked to something negative there is no reason to get rid of it.

We will also never get back Deng Xiaoping's calligraphy so it's good to keep it as is. At least the Phoenix and calligraphy are unique!

Don't get why people complain about the interior looking dull. It's the same interior that CA has on its A330, 777 and 747. The seat covers and lighting. No one seems to complaining there!

And yes CA's premium economy is an economy plus seat and is actually market as Super economy in English, and the equivalent in Chinese (same for CZ and its Y+ on the A333) so we know to expect only extra leg room. The premium demand isn't there yet.

trent1000 · Wed May 25, 2016 9:48 am

[quote=solnabo,reply=5]Eeeewwww

Not a lot of fans of "Communist Chic" out there... ha ha

I just hope they took the opportunity with a completely new aircraft to have large, bright signs (with large arrows) indicating "DOOR" and "DO NOT OPEN"... Whoever assumed that "Exit" means "open if fresh air desired" needs re-education. But then again, I guess that requires the viewer to be able to read...

Spiderguy252 · Wed May 25, 2016 9:52 am

Quoting PhoenixVIP (Reply 24):

You never get an airline livery where 100% like it.

True, but this might be a queer situation where 100% don't like it.

Coal · Wed May 25, 2016 9:58 am

I love CA's livery, especially on the 789. It makes it look really elegant. I would venture to say it is one of the best liveries on the 787, up there with the outgoing LA livery.

pokfur · Wed May 25, 2016 10:23 am

I actually thought the CA livery looks (somehow) quite elegant on the 789!

Is it just me or is this the first ever 787 Y cabin that doesn't make 9 abreast look squeezy?

oly720man · Wed May 25, 2016 10:33 am

Starting Frankfurt service on the 15th July and Rome on 1st August as the first international services. I presume they'll have at least 2 by then.

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...ates-787-9-debut-to-late-may-2016/

ultrapig · Wed May 25, 2016 11:47 am

Quoting PEK777 (Reply 4):

Quoting PEK777 (Reply 4):
They have a window in the John! Never seen that.

I remember one in the TWA Constellations-one reason to use the nice clean bathroom then with the complimentary individual soaps!

Aither · Wed May 25, 2016 3:47 pm

I think they should have given a press package to the journalists because the pictures of the interior are really terrible. This is bad publicity.

nickflightx · Wed May 25, 2016 5:33 pm

Quoting legacyins (Reply 20):

The flight never went on sale, i have done many fake bookings and it never showed up. They did get approval from both, but are now having problems with the CAAC. Not even SJC knows whats going on with the route. They are still coming though.

legacyins · Wed May 25, 2016 7:28 pm

Quoting nickflightx (Reply 32):
The flight never went on sale, i have done many fake bookings and it never showed up. They did get approval from both, but are now having problems with the CAAC. Not even SJC knows whats going on with the route. They are still coming though.

It did go on sale for a short period at the end of April into May. I got my info from CA at SFO that stated the sales were slow and they could not get any guarantees from local companies. I am assuming they learned from their short lived service into Ethiopia. They pulled the flight after 6 months after a poor showing.

AirFiero · Wed May 25, 2016 8:24 pm

But if the SJC flight wasn't bookable, how could they expect good advanced numbers?

BoeingGuy · Wed May 25, 2016 8:31 pm

Quoting AirFiero (Reply 34):
But if the SJC flight wasn't bookable, how could they expect good advanced numbers?

Sort of off topic to the 787, but relevant to CA, it would seem like HU would be the better carrier to do SJC-PVG since they already have a presence at SJC.

legacyins · Wed May 25, 2016 8:55 pm

Quoting AirFiero (Reply 34):
But if the SJC flight wasn't bookable, how could they expect good advanced numbers?

It was bookable for a few weeks at the end of April into May... The numbers did not add up and like I said, they were not able to get contracts from local companies. Same thing happened to LH. Forward bookings were poor and they pushed the start date from May to July. Look at MU at SFO. They have an average 75% LF with feed connections from VX. UA LF is in the 95% range with their hub . CA wants to start with no feed and rely on O/D with a non daily flight. Will this flight happen? Probably down the road just to keep HU off the route. Not with their new 787-9 though.

DarkSnowyNight · Wed May 25, 2016 9:42 pm

Quoting kaitak744 (Reply 1):

I rather like the Star Trek font that use for the titling.

Quoting SXDFC (Reply 11):

If Air China came out with a new livery, guaranteed it would be slammed by many on this site. You'd also have quite a few folks here missing the "classic timeless old livery."

Ha ha, so true.

Quoting motorhussy (Reply 12):

Weirdly, I like the oddly anachronistic look of it.

Yeah, I kind of do too.

I don't know if it's the governmental aspect of the look, but there's something about the lines and colors that always vaguely remind me of how the air force used to paint their KC10s in the early 80s.

Quoting LAX772LR (Reply 596):

Yeah. Or worse, they just mangle it up trying to make it "new"...

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