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Boeing's biggest 747 debuts on route to Washington
June 4, 2012

DULLES, Va. – Boeing's new 747-8 Intercontinental officially entered commercial service today, making it into the aviation history books on a Frankfurt-to-Washington flight operated by launch customer Lufthansa.

The 747-8 Intercontinental – the largest passenger jet ever made by Boeing – left Frankfurt around 10 a.m. local time this morning before landing at Dulles International at 12:32 p.m. ET – or about 13 minutes ahead of schedule.

The flight was greeted with a traditional water-cannon salute as it pulled up to its arrival gate at the B Concourse.

Christoph Franz, CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa, lauded the operational and technological improvements of the 747-8 at an arrival ceremony. But he also acknowledged simple excitement stemming from Lufthansa's role as the launch customer for the aircraft.

"A new aircraft is only introduced maybe once or twice in a professional career," he said to a crowd that included a mix of media, aviation enthusiasts and industry insiders.

Lufthansa says its "newest flagship aircraft" initially will fly between the two cities six days a week (excluding Tuesdays), replacing the older 747-400 model on the flight. Lufthansa says that will increase its capacity on the route by 6.3%.

Lufthansa's 362-seat 747-8 Intercontinentals have eight seats in first class, 92 in business and 262 in coach.

The airline touted its new business class configuration that it debuted on the 747-8 Intercontinental. The airline describes the new biz class section as offering fliers "a unique seating arrangement in the form of a 'V' whereby two neighboring seats are angled towards one another along a central axis."

Lufthansa says that layout "enables Lufthansa to fulfill one of the main wishes expressed by customers during an extensive research process – to sit or lie facing the direction of travel, while at the same time enjoy virtually double the distance between two neighboring seats at shoulder level."

Among the other new features on Lufthansa's 747-8 Intercontinental: Windows above the stairway leading to the upper deck, bathrooms with a "view," and automated window shades that slide up or down with the touch of a button.

Source :- http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/