Dreams on a plane

It’s a 90-minute car drive from Bangkok’s outskirts to Suvarnabhumi Airport. That’s followed by five hours of horsing around in Thai Airways’ Royal Silk Lounge, a six-hour plane trip on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to Perth in Western Australia and a full day’s sightseeing immediately after arrival. A long day, in short, is a good match for Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner experience. 

With its long-range, mid-size wide-body, twin engines and the latest in technology, the Boeing 787 is designed to change the experience of long-haul air travel, both for the jet-setters and the airline. Four B787-8 aircraft were incorporated into THAI’s fleet in 2014, and two more were added last year. Thai Airways International now operates six B787-8s on different international routes, and Perth in West of Australia is one of them.

My first trip on the Dreamliner was back in 2012 when the very first aircraft rolled off the production line in Seattle. Part of Boeing’s “Dream Tour” series, the 787 Dreamliner stopped over at Suvarnabhumi Airport for a short layover before undertaking a demonstration flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. The B787 was a game-changing aircraft, the Boeing team told us, one that would allow passengers to would walk away without |jet lag. And we did indeed enjoy a smooth flight but a one-hour journey within the same time zone is not the best test of jet lag. 

As I take my seat – E14 – in Thai Royal Silk (business) class, I know the experience is going to be comfortable if not downright luxurious. Sipping a glass of sparkling wine, I glance at the 2-2-2 layout, and pray for a charming row-mate.

THAI’s B787-8 features 24 flat-bed Business class seats (and 240 standard Economy seats in the rear cabin). With 60 inches of seat pitch, a 19-inch-long seat width plus spacious legroom, there’s plenty of room to move. When fully reclined, these seats are completely horizontal, creating a bed that is fully flat. 

You have a 16-inch screen for your private entertainment. Big screens are great but also pretty distracting, especially in a 2-2-2 configuration. For example, even if the latest Hollywood movie is fascinating you, you are going to end up glancing at the screen next to yours from time to time. The peripheral vision from other screens is annoying and if you are sitting in rows E and F, you can see six screens at the same time. The seat is equipped with a standard socket – AC Power, USB and headphone. There is no wireless Internet connectivity though but with a large selection of Hollywood new releases, you can keep busy off line. 

Thai Airways has been recognised for its service and hospitality, and the Bangkok-Perth flight won’t let you down. Business class travellers are indulged with premium food and wines, among them Pouilly Fume Leon Vatan 2013 and a Pierre Gruber Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2013. 

There are four choices of main course, among them Lamb Navarin, sweet and sour prawns with Thai jasmine rice, chicken thigh with eggplant in green curry and beef with bush tomato sauce. 

THAI’S Boeing B787-8 is equipped with Trent 1000-AE engines, which are quiet yet powerful. Passengers in both classes also experience more natural light, lower cabin altitude level and higher humidity. Flying on the B787-8 Dreamliner should thus reduce the chances of jetlag on a long-haul flight.

On the flight from Bangkok to Perth, I fall asleep after the film and stay that way until we begin our descent. The last time I slept this soundly was on Singapore Airline’s flight to Barcelona five years ago. The B787-8, together with Trend 1000-AE, must be special.

We don’t have a terrible jetlag either. Right after landing in Perth, we go straight to Swan Valley and enjoy a day of wine tasting and fine food.