New York welcomes Air China’s new-generation B747-8 Intercontinental

BEIJING – Air China‘s B747-8 Intercontinental debuted internationally on the Beijing – New York route on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. Expected arrival at JFK International was at 1:30 p.m. EST local time. A New York welcome awaited the B747-8i’s first international flight from Beijing , starting with a traditional water cannon salute shortly after landing, followed by a reception inside the cabin hosted by Air China’s New York offices led by Mr. Yuelong Zhou, General Manager.
 

Air China’s Flights 981 and 982 will be operated by the new-generation B747-8i on a daily basis while Flights 988 and 989 continue to be operated by B777-300ER.
 

Air China is the launch carrier in Asia for Boeing’s newest wide body passenger aircraft. It is also the first in China to operate the B747-8i and the only airline with nonstop services between New York and Beijing.
 

“We are pleased that our Beijing headquarters has chosen New York for the international launch of the B747-8i. It is only fitting that the largest city in the United States is the first Air China gateway in North America to operate the fuel-efficient, environment-friendly B747-8i,” Mr. Zhou said.
 

“More importantly,” Mr. Zhou added, “the B747-8i is the first aircraft in Air China’s fleet with a four-cabin configuration. This is significant as this provides travelers from New York and other neighboring cities to China and beyond with more options.“
 

Air China’s B747-800i features 12 luxury suites in the Forbidden Pavilion first class cabin, 54 fully-flat sleepers Capital Pavilion business class, 66 premium economy seats and 233 in the economy cabin for a total of 365 seats.
 

The business class 180-degree flat-bed seats are split between the main deck and the entire upper deck, giving Air China’s guests an exclusive private space. Majority of the lie-flat sleepers are arranged in a staggered 2-2 configuration.
 

Seats in premium economy and economy cabins offer more legroom for maximum comfort. An enhanced entertainment system offers a wide array of user-friendly features, including mobile phone apps and a sliding touch control.
 

Air China’s B747-8i is also the first to sport the company’s new cabin interior which depicts three traditional Chinese cultural elements that represent the harmonious unity of heaven, earth and sky.
 

Below is the seasonally-adjusted schedule of the of round-trip New York – Beijing services.
 

 

*All times are local. The above schedule is for reference only and may be subject to change.

**1-Monday, 2-Tuesday, 3-Wednesday, 4-Thursday, 5-Friday, 6-Saturday and 7-Sunday