Addition of new aircraft will grow the Thomson Airways’ Dreamliner fleet to 13
Delivery expected in June 2016

Two years on from the delivery of Thomson Airways’ first 787 Dreamliner, the UK’s largest holiday airline today announced it will take delivery of up to four new, larger Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft to expand its long haul programme.

Demonstrating its continued commitment to the Dreamliner, Thomson Airways has converted two existing orders for 787-8 (for delivery in summer 2016) to the new larger capacity 787-9 aircraft. The airline has also placed an order for a third 787-9 with an option to purchase a fourth, growing its Dreamliner fleet to 13 aircraft by June 2016.

These new aircraft will be used on Thomson Airways’ most popular long haul routes, including Mexico’s Caribbean coast, Sanford in Florida and Jamaica, due to customer demand for holidays in these destinations. The new, longer 787-9 aircraft will allow Thomson Airways to take more holidaymakers to these destinations with a capacity of 345, including 63 Premium Club seats (16 more Premium seats than in the 787-8).

In destination, customers will enjoy the choice of nearly 120 hotels, including two of Thomson’s flagship Sensatori Resorts and four of Thomson’s Couples Resorts (Thomson Sensimar from summer 2016) in Jamaica and Mexico’s Caribbean coast.

Holidaymakers can also look forward to exciting new destinations flying on Thomson Airways Dreamliner in the future, as the new aircraft have a longer range than the original 787-8 fleet with the ability to fly an additional 830 kilometres (or 450 nautical miles).

John Murphy, Managing Director for Thomson Airways, said: “We are delighted to continue to expand our Dreamliner fleet with the addition of these larger 787-9 aircraft, allowing more of our customers to enjoy the revolutionary flying experience as they travel to their holiday destination. Over the last couple of years the Dreamliner has been a big hit and we’ve received excellent feedback from our customers.”

Murphy continues: “The Dreamliner is one of many ways in which we are innovating in the air. Last year we unveiled our five year vision to change the face of holiday flying through new state-of-the-art aircraft, more long-haul destinations and innovative on-board product and service concepts. This includes delivery of 47 new Boeing 737 MAX aircrafts by 2020 on which we are planning to trial new on-board concepts such as family booths and duo-seating.”

Thomson Airways was the first UK airline to operate the Dreamliner and has been flying it on long haul routes since July 2013. Since then the fleet, currently comprising of eight aircraft, has made over 6,000 flights carrying over 1.6 million customers operating from Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow, East Midlands, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Birmingham airports to all of Thomson and First Choice’s long haul destinations including Thailand, Mexico’s Pacific Coast and the stunning Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. New for this November, the Dreamliner will take customers from Gatwick to Costa Rica on the UK’s only direct and non-stop flight, and in summer 2016 long haul flights to Sanford, Florida and Cancun will operate on the Dreamliner from Stansted airport for the first time.