End of the runway for BA's jumbo jets: Airline to phase them out for Dreamliners

Older jets will slowly be phased out with arrival of new 787s

Deal for latest set of jets believed to be worth around £2.6billion

British Airways last night signed a multi-billion pound deal to buy 18 new aircraft from Boeing as it seeks to expand its long-haul routes.

The move to buy the 787 Dreamliner planes signals the end for BA's ageing 747 which will gradually be taken out of service following the deal thought to be worth around £2.6billion.



In 2007 BA placed orders for 24 787s, with the option to buy a further 18 if it wanted.

The order for 18 Dreamliners marks the end of the line for British Airways' fleet of 747s (pictured)

Dreamliner: British Airways has bought 18 Dreamliner aircraft marking the end of the road for 747s

Willie Walsh, IAG chief executive, said: 'British Airways has 24 Boeing 787s on order already and we plan to boost this by a further 18 aircraft by exercising our options.

'The aircraft offers a step change in fuel burn efficiency versus our existing aircraft with improvements in fuel cost per seat of more than 20 per cent.

'New technology engines and improved aerodynamics will lower fuel burn leading to reduced carbon and NOx emissions.

'The creation of IAG has resulted in greater buying power for both airlines through joint procurement and we have been able to obtain delivery slots for Iberia as part of British Airways' order.'



In a separate agreement with Boeing, IAG (down 6.4p to 254.2p) took the first step towards buying a new fleet of aircraft for its Spanish airline Iberia, which it will firm up once a cost-cutting programme is complete.

HOW DREAMLINER MEASURES UP AGAINST THE 747

Aircraft

747

787

Length

231ft 11in

186ft

Wingspan

211ft 5in

196ft 10in

Wing area

5,825ft² 3,735ft²

Height

63ft 8in

55ft 5in

Engines

4

2

Range

8,328miles

9,444miles

Capacity

416 passengers

242 passengers



Boeing says it is close to concluding testing of a revamped battery system for the 787, which will then go to regulators for approval.



Yesterday, the company said it was conducting a test flight of the 787 in Washington state for systems not related to the battery problems.

So far, airlines have 50 of the planes but they are still grounded after two overheated in January.

Boeing is trying to assure regulators that after some design changes, the batteries are safe. Boeing expects to make at least one battery-test flight.

On Monday one of the 787s made a two-hour flight from the Seattle area to Moses Lake, Washington, then returned to Boeing Field.

Boeing conducted one test flight of the 787 last week and two in February.

Boeing 787's construction

Boeing built the 747 in the 1960s with 50,000 people working on what was the largest civilian aircraft in the world in less than 16 months.

Before the plane could be constructed, a 200-million-cubic-foot assembly plant had to be built in Everett Washington - then the largest building in the world by volume.

Its cargo hold could carry 3,400 pieces of luggage and it could be unloaded in just seven minutes.

The first flight of the 747 was on February 9, 1969, with the first commercial flight in 1970.



Boeing says on its website: 'Nasa later modified two 747-100s into Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. The next version, the 747-200, holds approximately 440 passengers and has a range of about 5,600 nautical miles.



'In 1990, two 747-200Bs were modified to serve as Air Force One and replaced the VC-137s (707s) that served as the presidential airplane for nearly 30 years.

British Airways' fleet of 747s will be slowly decommissioned as the new stock of Dreamliners comes in

'The 747-300 has an extended upper deck and carries even more passengers than the -200. The 747-400 rolled out in 1988. Its wingspan is 212 feet, and it has 6-foot-high "winglets" on the wing tips.

'The 747-400 also is produced as a freighter, as a combination freighter and passenger model, and as a special domestic version, without the winglets, for shorter-range flights.

'The longer-range 747-400 airplanes (also known as 747-400ERs), were launched in late 2000. The 747-400ER, which first flew July 31, 2002, is available in both passenger and freighter versions and has a range of 8,826 miles.

'It incorporates the strengthened -400 Freighter wing, strengthened body and landing gear, and an auxiliary fuel tank in the forward cargo-hold, with an option for a second tank.

'When the 747-400ER's full-range capability is not needed, operators can remove the tank (or tanks), freeing up additional space for cargo.'



