guerre64
Junior Member
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2012
- Posts
- 32
Howdy all.
Just thought I'd share my experience yesterday flying J on Royal Brunei's brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner from MNL to BWN.
RB only took delivery of the aircraft a month or so ago and have been doing some flights to regional capitals in the area - KL, Singapore, a Manila etc., as party of their familiarisation and testing with the new plane. Like most airlines who have 787s in service, they have already had some teething problems which has thrown schedules out quite a bit.
Now, I know RB had some significant issues across their fleet operations yesterday, including problems with their leased 777s from SIA, so I can't say for sure whether our delay was 787- specific or just part of a bad day of flights not making connections etc.
Nevertheless, my flight, BI684, was scheduled to leave MNL at 1505. However, on checking in there were printed signs saying the new departure time was 1835. The Dreamliner strikes again, I thought! But, as I later found out from the pilots of the 787, RB had lots of fleet issues yesterday - no specific Dreamliner niggles!!
RB use the Miascor Lounge at Ninoy Aquino Terminal 1 - the lounge is barely acceptable in this day and age, but then the entire Terminal 1 is in a state of disrepair and is, quite frankly, an embarrassment for the Philippines in my opinion. It needs a huge makeover - better still, demolish it and start again!!
Anyway, our flight finally started boarding at 1835 and I was the first passenger on board in J - there were only 5 of us in total out of a possible capacity of 18.
The "new plane" smell was completely obvious and to be expected, everything was shiny and new. The cabin feels extremely airy and spacious and the thing that strikes you immediately are those massive windows - they really are quite incredible in terms of visibility of the outside world.
I was seated in 9K, which is a window seat on the right hand side of the aircraft and is in fact the first row of J on RB's Dreamliner. The seats are "Germanically firm" - I would liken them to the seats in a BMW or Mercedes - they don't seem initially cosseting or comfortable, but I think given several bum-numbing hours on a long haul flight, say Melbourne to London via Dubai, which is RB's intention for the 787 from April next year, you would really appreciate that firm quality.
The first row of J has almost 3 windows available - but row 11 has no window directly next to the seat, though there is one a bit of a lean forward
The J layout is fairly standard fare in terms of seat positioning, nothing like the staggered seating that say an Etihad or Emirates have in J these days - more like good old QF and VA domestic layout, but with significantly more legroom. The seats are fully electronic and are fully flat beds which extend to either the bulkhead, which in the front row has a curved panel attached to the bulkhead that contains the static extension of the lay flat footrest and some storage areas which can't be used during taxi, takeoff or landing, as well as the decently sized flat touch screen LCD panel. The value of touch screen when it is so far away from you is something of a moot point. Luckily, the hand control unit can do everything the touch screen can, but much more conveniently, though a little fiddly. Mind you the touch screen is pretty nifty as you can flick through movie and tv choices as you would flick through pics on an iPad - it's a bit neat. From a conversation with a Y passenger, I understand the screens in economy have the same touch functionality.
The entertainment system is significantly better than RB's 777 offering, with 55 on-demand movies 20 or so more than the 777 and 59 TV episodes, 24 more than the RB 777 - this is all according to the RB "Muhibah" in-flight entertainment guide. Sound quality seems excellent, though I was using my AKG noise-cancelling headphones - but you need inherently good audio to start for good quality headphones to sound at least decent. Picture quality was good and the system seemed to work quite well. Strangely, RB don't have the trendy "forward" and "landscape" cameras available, but they do have the obligatory maps etc.
Oh the only real niggle I have with the entertainment system is the placement of the damn earphone socket - it's in the recessed area of the armrest where the handset is stored and it's not only bloody hard to find, but impossible to see where to stick the connector plug - very poor design.
There is a huge amount of room in J on this plane and the lay flat bed is quite long, utilising the extra "footrest" piece attached to either the bulkhead or the rear of the seats on front. "Footrest" is a bit misleading really, because you'd have to be 7 foot tall to use it as a "footrest" LOL!! The seat controls are pretty straightforward, though I found the operation of extending the built in footrest to be interminably slow for some reason. Everything else seemed to chug away at a comparable pace to other J seats -bit was just the footrest operation that seemed a bit dicky.
The cabin seems and feels very tall - the overhead bins are well and truly out of the way. The mood lighting systems are rather nice, but a bit gimmicky as I think we've all seen on the newer 737s. The individual overhead light is quite bright and operated from the handset and, thankfully, the Dreamliner has individual adjustable air vents for each passenger and, I'm happy to say, the air flow from these is the strongest I've felt in any plane - something very welcome in my book!!
Each J passenger also has a bendable reading lamp whose end you twist to turn the light on and adjust it's brightness.
So, you ask, is it quiet?
Yep, bloody quiet -during taxi and takeoff I would say it is quieter than the A380, but I'm not sure about when at cruise - I think the A380 might be just that bit quieter. I'd like someone to do an audio metering test
I took some video footage with my ipad of our takeoff from Manila and will try to share it here ASAP, so you can get a sense of just how quiet this plane is on takeoff.
The toilets in the front of the aircraft feel much more spacious than your average plane loo - firstly, the roofline doesn't impinge on the space so much - the taller shape of the fuselage means you don't feel like you're having to bend over to keep from banging your head. I'm 6ft in the old speak, and I found the headroom great - didn't have to stoop at all. The size of the loo space is generally bigger and feels nice and modern. The flush no longer requires the push of a button - you just wave your hand in front of a sensor and away you go. Now, some might think that a bit dangerous, but Boeing have been very clever here. When you do wave your hand to flush, if you haven't already put the lids down, there's a little electronic arm that comes out automatically and pushes the seat lid down for you - it kind of gives it a kick start and the gravity does the rest. But it doesn't just slam down - it's like those nice shiny new expensive toilets in houses these days that almost seem like their lids are attaché to hydraulic mechanisms!!! A very neat touch Boeing!!
Everyone is talking about the benefits of flying on a Dreamliner in terms of pressurisation and I have to say a resounding thank you to Boeing for this. I suffer terribly from blocked nose syndrome when flying and I did not have that problem at all during or after the 787 flight yesterday. Brilliant stuff.
So, that's it as far as my Dreamliner report goes. Sadly the flight was only 1 hour and 40 minutes long, but still well and truly worthwhile.
As far as Royal Brunei's service goes, I cannot fault them - the cabin crew are always friendly and more than attentive to your every need - it's a dry airline, so no booze is served, but they will allow you to drink some of your duty free if you so desire and will provide mixers, glasses, ice....the lack of booze doesn't bother me at all. The food is pretty good too - maybe not quite up to a SIA, Etihad or Emirates standard in J, but still pretty darn good.
Anyway, hope you don't mind me sharing my first 787 experience.
I do have pics and will try to post some here, but if not will add links soon.
Cheers.
Phil.
Just thought I'd share my experience yesterday flying J on Royal Brunei's brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner from MNL to BWN.
RB only took delivery of the aircraft a month or so ago and have been doing some flights to regional capitals in the area - KL, Singapore, a Manila etc., as party of their familiarisation and testing with the new plane. Like most airlines who have 787s in service, they have already had some teething problems which has thrown schedules out quite a bit.
Now, I know RB had some significant issues across their fleet operations yesterday, including problems with their leased 777s from SIA, so I can't say for sure whether our delay was 787- specific or just part of a bad day of flights not making connections etc.
Nevertheless, my flight, BI684, was scheduled to leave MNL at 1505. However, on checking in there were printed signs saying the new departure time was 1835. The Dreamliner strikes again, I thought! But, as I later found out from the pilots of the 787, RB had lots of fleet issues yesterday - no specific Dreamliner niggles!!
RB use the Miascor Lounge at Ninoy Aquino Terminal 1 - the lounge is barely acceptable in this day and age, but then the entire Terminal 1 is in a state of disrepair and is, quite frankly, an embarrassment for the Philippines in my opinion. It needs a huge makeover - better still, demolish it and start again!!
Anyway, our flight finally started boarding at 1835 and I was the first passenger on board in J - there were only 5 of us in total out of a possible capacity of 18.
The "new plane" smell was completely obvious and to be expected, everything was shiny and new. The cabin feels extremely airy and spacious and the thing that strikes you immediately are those massive windows - they really are quite incredible in terms of visibility of the outside world.
I was seated in 9K, which is a window seat on the right hand side of the aircraft and is in fact the first row of J on RB's Dreamliner. The seats are "Germanically firm" - I would liken them to the seats in a BMW or Mercedes - they don't seem initially cosseting or comfortable, but I think given several bum-numbing hours on a long haul flight, say Melbourne to London via Dubai, which is RB's intention for the 787 from April next year, you would really appreciate that firm quality.
The first row of J has almost 3 windows available - but row 11 has no window directly next to the seat, though there is one a bit of a lean forward
The J layout is fairly standard fare in terms of seat positioning, nothing like the staggered seating that say an Etihad or Emirates have in J these days - more like good old QF and VA domestic layout, but with significantly more legroom. The seats are fully electronic and are fully flat beds which extend to either the bulkhead, which in the front row has a curved panel attached to the bulkhead that contains the static extension of the lay flat footrest and some storage areas which can't be used during taxi, takeoff or landing, as well as the decently sized flat touch screen LCD panel. The value of touch screen when it is so far away from you is something of a moot point. Luckily, the hand control unit can do everything the touch screen can, but much more conveniently, though a little fiddly. Mind you the touch screen is pretty nifty as you can flick through movie and tv choices as you would flick through pics on an iPad - it's a bit neat. From a conversation with a Y passenger, I understand the screens in economy have the same touch functionality.
The entertainment system is significantly better than RB's 777 offering, with 55 on-demand movies 20 or so more than the 777 and 59 TV episodes, 24 more than the RB 777 - this is all according to the RB "Muhibah" in-flight entertainment guide. Sound quality seems excellent, though I was using my AKG noise-cancelling headphones - but you need inherently good audio to start for good quality headphones to sound at least decent. Picture quality was good and the system seemed to work quite well. Strangely, RB don't have the trendy "forward" and "landscape" cameras available, but they do have the obligatory maps etc.
Oh the only real niggle I have with the entertainment system is the placement of the damn earphone socket - it's in the recessed area of the armrest where the handset is stored and it's not only bloody hard to find, but impossible to see where to stick the connector plug - very poor design.
There is a huge amount of room in J on this plane and the lay flat bed is quite long, utilising the extra "footrest" piece attached to either the bulkhead or the rear of the seats on front. "Footrest" is a bit misleading really, because you'd have to be 7 foot tall to use it as a "footrest" LOL!! The seat controls are pretty straightforward, though I found the operation of extending the built in footrest to be interminably slow for some reason. Everything else seemed to chug away at a comparable pace to other J seats -bit was just the footrest operation that seemed a bit dicky.
The cabin seems and feels very tall - the overhead bins are well and truly out of the way. The mood lighting systems are rather nice, but a bit gimmicky as I think we've all seen on the newer 737s. The individual overhead light is quite bright and operated from the handset and, thankfully, the Dreamliner has individual adjustable air vents for each passenger and, I'm happy to say, the air flow from these is the strongest I've felt in any plane - something very welcome in my book!!
Each J passenger also has a bendable reading lamp whose end you twist to turn the light on and adjust it's brightness.
So, you ask, is it quiet?
Yep, bloody quiet -during taxi and takeoff I would say it is quieter than the A380, but I'm not sure about when at cruise - I think the A380 might be just that bit quieter. I'd like someone to do an audio metering test
I took some video footage with my ipad of our takeoff from Manila and will try to share it here ASAP, so you can get a sense of just how quiet this plane is on takeoff.The toilets in the front of the aircraft feel much more spacious than your average plane loo - firstly, the roofline doesn't impinge on the space so much - the taller shape of the fuselage means you don't feel like you're having to bend over to keep from banging your head. I'm 6ft in the old speak, and I found the headroom great - didn't have to stoop at all. The size of the loo space is generally bigger and feels nice and modern. The flush no longer requires the push of a button - you just wave your hand in front of a sensor and away you go. Now, some might think that a bit dangerous, but Boeing have been very clever here. When you do wave your hand to flush, if you haven't already put the lids down, there's a little electronic arm that comes out automatically and pushes the seat lid down for you - it kind of gives it a kick start and the gravity does the rest. But it doesn't just slam down - it's like those nice shiny new expensive toilets in houses these days that almost seem like their lids are attaché to hydraulic mechanisms!!! A very neat touch Boeing!!
Everyone is talking about the benefits of flying on a Dreamliner in terms of pressurisation and I have to say a resounding thank you to Boeing for this. I suffer terribly from blocked nose syndrome when flying and I did not have that problem at all during or after the 787 flight yesterday. Brilliant stuff.
So, that's it as far as my Dreamliner report goes. Sadly the flight was only 1 hour and 40 minutes long, but still well and truly worthwhile.
As far as Royal Brunei's service goes, I cannot fault them - the cabin crew are always friendly and more than attentive to your every need - it's a dry airline, so no booze is served, but they will allow you to drink some of your duty free if you so desire and will provide mixers, glasses, ice....the lack of booze doesn't bother me at all. The food is pretty good too - maybe not quite up to a SIA, Etihad or Emirates standard in J, but still pretty darn good.
Anyway, hope you don't mind me sharing my first 787 experience.
I do have pics and will try to post some here, but if not will add links soon.
Cheers.
Phil.
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