LOT Polish Airlines’ Boeing 787 Dreamliner: Virtual Tour and Review

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IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

All passengers will have have a USB port, an electrical outlet that supports U.S. and

LOT Elite Club seating and IFE

LOT Elite Club seating and IFE

European plugs and voltage, and an individual seatback monitor with a miniature keyboard and controller available to them, although this varies by cabin.  Passengers in Elite Club and Premium Club each have their own USB ports and outlets and passengers in the main cabin will have to share as there is one of each of these per row.  Business-class seats have a larger, 15.4” display that is controlled by a remote stored in the armrest, premium-economy seats have a smaller 10.6” display, and main cabin passengers have a smaller seatback display.

A choice of several languages, including Polish, German, and English, is available.

WHY THE DREAMLINER IS DIFFERENT

Five flights on the Dreamliner have given me a sense of what makes the aircraft different and special.  Most importantly, inside the cabin, I found it to be significantly quieter than other similarly-sized jets. Indeed, Boeing says that the aircraft’s noise footprint is up to 60% lower, compared to previous-generation aircraft. The newly-found quiet is due to new engines, advanced acoustical linings, DSC_0411the lightweight composite materials, and a new, more aerodynamic wing.

Gust control is another major innovation introduced in the Dreamliner.  The “smoother ride” technology is designed to sense – and counter – turbulence while in flight.

The new electrochromic window dimmers are another useful technology.  My first two Dreamliner flights were in daytime and I was concerned as to how well they would perform on a long flight when cabin darkness is key.  I needn’t have worried.  It was a pleasant surprise to find out that the cabin crew could “close” all the electronic shades remotely and that this was more than sufficient to darken the cabin to a comfortable level.  The windows themselves, although darkened, remained somewhat transparent, since one could still see through them, but the cabin itself was bathed in a cool and relaxing blue glow.

BOTTOM LINE

Compared to its existing long-haul fleet of Boeing 767-300 aircraft, LOT should see significant fuel savings thanks to the Dreamliner’s greater fuel efficiency (20%), which comes from the composite materials used in its construction and more efficient climate control systems.

The feeling one gets as a passenger is hard to describe but the overall spaciousness from increased headroom, larger windows, and better lighting, when combined with a far more comfortable environmental and improved storage, continue to impress me greatly and I have flown the Dreamliner four times since its launch.  Once you add in the ultra-quiet flight experience, smooth ride, and clean air, and higher humidity level, you have the makings of a great airplane and a significantly improved flying experience.

(Photos: Accura Media Group)

 

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