Xiamen Air Welcomes Its Last Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

Xiamen Airlines (MF) has taken delivery of a brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which is the last of six 787s the airline has on order.

The new long-haul jet, Registration B-2763, touched down at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN) on September 30 and has been initially deployed on routes connecting Xiamen and Fuzhou with Beijing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping boarded Xiamen Airlines' 787, Registration B-2763 on September 23 and had an interior tour of the airplane during his visit to Boeing's factory in Everett, Seattle. Accompanied by Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner, President Xi boarded the 787 Dreamliner, experienced the first class and business class cabins, toured the cockpit and visited the crew rest area.

On Aug. 31, 2014, the Xiamen-based carrier received its first 787 Dreamliner, Registration B-2768, which is the first wide-body airplane of the airline. Over the past year, Xiamen Air, which now operates six 787 Dreamliners, has achieved over 10,000 flying hours, handled 3,568 aircraft movements and 55,000 passengers totally. The five Dreamliners earned nearly one billion yuan for the Xiamen-based carrier.

Xiamen Airlines has already used its new Dreamliner fleet to launch its first ever long-haul flights connecting Xiamen with Amsterdam. And it will now continue to roll-out more long-haul routes, including services to Sydney on November 29 and its first destinations in North America in 2016.

The Dreamliner (B-2763) is set to operate the inaugural flights of Fuzhou-Sydney and Xiamen-Sydney routes at the end of this year, the airline disclosed.

Aiming to tap into the global long-haul market, Xiamen Airlines wants more long-range jets. Since its first Drealiner joined in August 2013, Xiamen Airlines has completed an initial order for six 787-8s. But, the Xiamen-based carrier has agreed to acquire six larger 787-9 aircraft from Boeing.

The new wide-body jet is the sixth Dreamliner and also the 16th new aircraft introduced by the Xiamen-based carrier this year. Like the other five 787-8s in the airline's fleet, the new aircraft is configured with 237 seats in a three-class layout, including four seats in first class, 18 in business class and 215 in economy class. All premium seats recline to form fully-flat beds.

With the arrival of new 787-8 Dreamliner, Xiamen Airlines now operates a fleet of 128 Boeing aircraft, including 17 737-700s, 99 737-800s, six 757-200s and six 787-8 Dreamliners.

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