The world's first carbon-composite airliner prepares to fly for the first time carrying paying passengers.
One hundred expensive seats on the inaugural flight from Chiba, Japan to Hong Kong were available to paying passengers - the lucky few spoke of their excitement.
(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 51 YEAR OLD NAONOBU FUJIMOTO:
"I want to try riding on it once as it uses a lot of Japanese technology as well. I've heard that it's a pretty revolutionary plane and so I really wanted to try riding on it."
The plane itself could set a new benchmark in air travel.
With its carbon-composite body, Boeing's technological flagship offers a 20 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and 30 percent reduction in maintenance costs.
The first flight was a success and the Dreamliner landed safely at it's destination in Hong Kong.
Airlines might be interested in its increased efficiency but passengers will likely be impressed by the larger windows, seat to seat email and bigger touch screen entertainment panels.
The inaugural flight of the 787 came exactly 53 years after Boeing's first ever jetliner, the 707, began commercial services.
Simon Hanna, Reuters.
