Japan Airlines has announced it will take delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 on March 25th, with the aircraft (JA822J) to be flown from Seattle, Everett to Tokyo, Narita by JAL pilots the following day.

JAL’s first commercial 787 flight will also be the first ever non-stop flight to connect Boston with Asia when JAL uses it to launch the new service between Tokyo (Narita) and Boston on April 22nd, 2012.

JAL will later this year, also use this super-efficient aircraft to start yet another first non-stop service between a US city and Asia with the launch of direct flights between Tokyo (Narita) and San Diego.

The 787 is scheduled to be deployed on routes between Tokyo and Beijing, Moscow, New Delhi and Singapore as soon as subsequent aircraft are delivered and all necessary preparations are completed.

Seat Configurations

JAL’s 787 Dreamliner is configured in two classes with 42 seats in business and 144 seats in economy.

The airline will fit its newest Executive Class JAL SHELL FLAT NEO seats that are five cm wider (than the seats now fitted on JAL’s Boeing 777s), in a 2-2-2 configuration so that customers are either seated by the window or along the aisle.

Lavatories in Executive Class also feature a special warm-water Toto Washlet jointly developed by companies Toto, JAMCO and Boeing.

The 144 Economy Class seats have two cm wider space than current seats and arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration.

Dreamliner

Also today, Boeing confirmed the 787 Dreamliner will make its Chilean debut as the centrepiece at the FIDAE 2012 International Air & Space Fair in Santiago on March 27th.

“We are pleased to bring the 787 Dreamliner to FIDAE for its Chilean debut and showcase the many features that make this airplane truly a game-changer for the industry,” said Van Rex Gallard, sales vice president for Latin America, Africa, & Caribbean, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“We have a great customer in LAN, one of the leading airlines in Latin America and the first Latin American customer to take delivery of the 787.”