Qatar Airways, the national flag carrier, will fly its first Dreamliner in a never-seen-before public flying display at Farnborough International Air Show starting today (July 9).

The Boeing 787 is scheduled to participate in a hallmark feature of the air show calendar – the afternoon flying programme.

The seven-minute demonstration flights will showcase the sophisticated engineering and visual appeal of the aircraft, offering a first-hand glimpse of the Qatar Airways’ Dreamliner in flight.

The aerial display also marks the first ever, and much anticipated, Dreamliner flying demonstration at an international aerospace event.

Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787 is scheduled to take to the skies between 1600 hrs and 1630 hrs (GMT) on the first three days of the air show –July 9, 10 and 11. The aircraft will also be on static display before taking to the skies.

Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker, who will officially unveil the Dreamliner to the international media today, said: “We are thrilled to showcase Qatar Airways’ Dreamliner at Farnborough this year and the debut of our Boeing 787 in Qatar Airways’ livery marks a significant milestone for our airline.”

“The first of our 60 Boeing 787s on order will set new standards in service and excellence as we continue to grow aggressively, bringing a heightened level of luxury and state-of-the-art engineering to the skies with these new-generation aircraft.”

Qatar Airways has also gone all out with the seat design, which is proprietary to the airline. It worked closely with Boeing to have custom-made seats fitted on the aircraft – providing space and comfort as part of the carrier’s renowned award-winning Five Star experience.

The seat configuration makes Qatar Airways an industry leader with innovative design a hallmark of the interiors. Business Class is configured 1–2–1, featuring seats that convert into fully flat horizontal beds, while Economy Class has a 3–3–3 cabin layout.

Qatar Airways’ new 787s feature a total of 254 seats in a two-class configuration of 22 in Business and 232 in Economy.

Passengers can catch up on their sleep onboard with fully flat 80-inch long and 30-inch wide Business Class seats, while Economy offers 32-inch pitch seats providing a new level of comfort in the skies.

Keeping in line with technological advances, Qatar Airways has included an award-winning iTouch touch control unit, through which more than 1,000 movies, programming and audio entertainment options are accessible, together with an iPort, USB port and remote data outlet for the discerning tech savvy traveller. The airline also offers plenty of storage space for personal items and more in both cabin classes.

Upon entering service, Qatar Airways’ first 787 will initially operate on intra-Gulf routes before making its maiden long-haul commercial flight between Doha and London Heathrow. – TradeArabia News Service