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April 29, 2009 11:53 AM

Boeing Unveils Performance, Comfort Changes to Next-Generation 737s


Passengers boarding a Boeing Next-Generation 737 with the new 737 Boeing Sky Interior will instantly see and feel the difference. Soft blue cove lighting, curving architecture and larger window reveals offer a sense of spaciousness in the cabin and comfort for airline passengers. Pic courtesy of Boeing Commercial AirplanesKUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Bernama) -- Boeing announced that seven airlines will be the first to incorporate the new, spacious 737 Boeing Sky Interior starting in late 2010, which features soft, blue-sky-like lighting overhead.

The airlines are FlyDubai (Dubai, United Arab Emirates), Continental Airlines (Houston), Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA (Fornebu, Norway), Malaysia Airlines (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), TUI Travel PLC (London), GOL Airlines (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Lion Air (Jakarta, Indonesia).

In a statement from Seattle Tuesday, Boeing said the 787 Style in the World's Leading Single-Aisle Airplane Drawing from years of research was used to design the interior for the 787 Dreamliner.

The 737 Boeing Sky Interior features new, 787-style modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals that draw passengers' eyes to the airplane's windows, giving passengers a greater connection to the flying experience, it said.

On a more practical note, the sidewall design integrates the air vent so that before-flight security checks go more quickly for maintenance staff.

The new design offers larger, pivoting overhead stowage bins that add to the openness of the cabin. The bins give more passengers room to store a carry-on roll-aboard near their own seat, adding both extra convenience and extra legroom.

Boeing said it had redesigned reading-light switches so passengers can find them more easily and avoid accidentally pressing the flight-attendant call button.

Speakers were integrated into each row's passenger-service unit to improve sound and clarity of public address operations, while the new integrated air vent and improved noise-dampening materials reduce overall cabin noise.

Boeing said changes to the Next-Generation 737 were more than cosmetic as the firm was targeting a two percent reduction in fuel consumption by 2011 through a combination of airframe and engine improvements.

Airplane structural improvements would reduce drag on the airplane, reducing fuel use by about one percent.

Boeing's engine partner, CFM, is contributing the other one percent fuel savings through hardware changes to its engine.

Continental Airlines would make a Next-Generation 737-800 available to Boeing to flight test the performance improvements.

-- BERNAMA

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