Korean Air's first Boeing 787-10 to take off for Tokyo

Korean Air's Boeing 787-10 (Korean Air)

Korean Air said Monday that it will launch the first flight of the newly acquired Boeing 787-10 (B78X) on the Incheon-Narita route on Thursday.

The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner is the largest and most advanced in the 787 series, with contributions from the nation's flag carrier in the 787 series' design and production.

With a fuselage length of 68.3 meters -- approximately five meters longer than the previous 787-9 model -- the 787-10 can transport 15 percent more passengers and cargo. However, this increased capacity reduces the maximum range to 11,175 kilometers, about 1,400 kilometers shorter than the 787-9. Leveraging these characteristics, Korean Air intends to deploy the 787-10 on highly demanded medium to long-haul routes.

Pilots with previous experience flying the 787-9 will operate the initial flights of the 787-10. The aircraft will first be used on shorter international routes to ensure operational stability, with plans to expand its service to routes including Vancouver and other destinations in North America and Europe, according to the air carrier.

Korean Air said it aims to operate a fleet of 20 Boeing 787-10 aircraft by 2027, beginning with Thursday’s inaugural flight.

Refurbished prestige class seats of 787-10 (Korean Air)

A notable feature of the new 787-10 is the Prestige Class seats, which are presented in a deep brown color -- a shift from the airline's traditional light blue.

This comes with environmental efficiency as well. By using carbon composite materials instead of traditional aluminum alloys, the aircraft is lighter yet more durable. This results in over 20 percent improved fuel efficiency per seat and a more than 20 percent reduction in carbon emissions.

Additionally, the 787-10 incorporates components manufactured by Korean Air's Aerospace Division in Busan, including the aft body for the tail section, raked wingtips to enhance fuel efficiency and counter vortices, and flap support fairings under the wings.

By Park Se-ra(serap1005@heraldcorp.com)