Boeing's new 747-8 Intercontinental plane is officially in business. On Friday, the jumbo jet, operated by Lufthansa, made its first intercontinental flight from Frankfurt, Germany to Washington DC's Dulles International Airport in the U.S. This jet is one for the aviation history books, as it's the largest passenger jet ever built by Boeing.
The 747-8 Intercontinental jumbo jet is the longest airliner in the world. It is equipped with 362 seats. There are with eight First Class, 92 Business Class, and 262 Economy class seats. The Business class offers a unique seating arrangement. Two neighboring seats are angled towards one another, creating a V shape. This setup was created based on feedback from passengers who wanted to sit or lie in the direction of travel, without surrendering the distance between seats.
Some other new features include bathrooms with a view, automated window shades, and a stairway leading to an upper deck with a skylight.
The new aircraft will replace the older 747-400 model and provide service between Frankfurt and Washington DC six days a week. The aircaft will increase capacity on this route by 6.3 percent.
Lufthansa has 20 of these Boeing 747-8 Intercontinentals on order and they are expected to receive five this year.
On the inaugural flight, regularly scheduled passenged were joined by Dr. Christoph Franz, Lufthansa's CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board, and Elizabeth Lund, Boeing vice president and general manager, 747 Programme, who are joined by a delegation consisting of U.S. and International media, esteemed customers and partners.
"The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental is an exceptional aircraft," said Dr. Christoph Franz "With its addition to our fleet, Lufthansa has created a product that is not only in line with our company's commitment to innovation, technology and efficiency, but that also offers qualities and features that are sure to maximize our passengers' in-flight experience."
The flight was greeted with a traditional water-cannon salute as it pulled up to its arrival gate at Dulles.
The plane is several tonnes heavier than Boeing's original target, which generally increases fuel costs. The plane maker said in February it plans to hit its original weight target by 2014.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
