Bangkok--13 Feb--Thai Airways
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) today welcomed the Boeing 787 Dreamliner World Tour team with aircraft touch-down at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 10:30 a.m., after travelling 12,358 kilometers non-stop from Seattle, Washington, USA.
Joining the event at THAI’s Technical facility were Her Excellency Ms. Kristie Kenney, the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, Mr. Ralph (Skip) Boyce, president of Boeing Southeast Asia, Mr. Ray Conner, Senior Vice President, Sales and Customer Support and executives from Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, THAI President, and members of the THAI management were on hand to welcome the Boeing 787 Dream Tour demonstration aircraft, ZA003, and its team to Thailand, making Bangkok the first stop in Southeast Asia. THAI looks forward to having the Boeing 787 aircraft join THAI’s fleet — in two years, THAI will receive delivery of four 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, with two more delivered the following year, and two B787-9 aircraft delivered in 2017, putting the total number of Boeing 787 aircraft in THAI’s fleet at eight.
“For our passengers onboard the THAI 787 aircraft, they will enjoy the experience of our legendary onboard services, relax in newly designed interiors, and be entertained with the state-of-the art in-flight products. Other plusses are the aircraft’s physical attributes such as higher humidity during flight, and lower cabin pressure, larger and dimmable windows, and bigger overhead storage space, plus other features. From an operational side, THAI flights with the 787 will operate with 20 percent less fuel consumption and will be 30 percent cheaper to maintain.”
The 787 Dreamliner aircraft will remain in Thailand from 9-11 February 2012, with the first day being stationed at THAI’s hangar at Suvarnabhumi Airport and on display for the media and invited guests to tour the aircraft interior. The following day the 787 makes a demonstration flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai carrying THAI executives, pilots, and special aviation guests, returning in the afternoon with Her Excellency Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, along with Ministers, government officials, and THAI Board Members onboard from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.
Welcoming the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are (from left to right): Two THAI uniform staff, Mr. Christopher Flint, Boeing Sales Director—Asia Pacific Region, Mr. S. (Raj) Bhowmik, Regional Director—Asia Pacific Marketing, Mr. Ray Conner, Senior Vice President — Sales and Customer Support, Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, THAI President, H.E. Ms. Kristie Kenney, U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, Mr. Ralph (Skip) Boyce, President—Boeing Southeast Asia, Mr. Dinesh A. Keskar, Vice President—Sales, Squadron Leader Alongot Pullsuk, Vice President of Aviation Resources Development Department.