A rendering of the inside of Lufthansa’s Patient Transport Compartment, the “flying ICU” – Image: Lufthansa
Lets face it, nobody wants to need medical care while on board a plane. And yet, with a huge number of people traveling by air everyday, it’s inevitable that it will happen with some regularity. In fact if you travel by air regularly, you have probably heard the flight attendants ask over the PA if there is a “medical professional onboard.”
Any malady that can occur on the ground can happen in the air, and the altitude while on a commercial aircraft can even exacerbate certain medical conditions. That means that some people may be more likely to need medical assistance in the air than they do on the ground.
For German airline Lufthansa, there are about 3,000 passenger medical emergencies that occur on board each year. Of those, an average of 54 emergencies are serious enough that they require the flight to be diverted so that a patient can obtain urgent medical care. I recently had a chance to sit down with the airline and learn how they cope with these situations. Not only is the airline well prepared for any emergency that may arise in flight, they are also ready to treat those who need care before they board the aircraft.
Etihad, along with Boeing, went all out revealing their new livery, called “Facets of Abu Dhabi” on the 787-9
On a clear Saturday evening, Etihad Airways revealed their new livery on their first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at Paine Field. Although the new livery had been previously seen on the airline’s first Airbus A380 just a few days earlier, it didn’t stop Etihad from celebrating and being excited about not only their new design, but also this new aircraft type.
The tail design is a dramtic departure for Etihad
Originally, the roll out of the 787-9 was planned from Boeing’s paint hangar at about 6:45pm local time. However, it was pushed back a bit to let it get darker to increase the dramatic effect of the special lighting.
The delay was okay, since there was a tent set up in almost a living room configuration, with appetizers and drinks being served to waiting airline employees, executives, Boeing representatives, and media.
There was no question that most everyone there was excited to see the plane, and the energy was high.
Southwest Airlines New Mexcio One on approach to LAX
With so many new liveries being released by Spirit, Frontier, Southwest, China Eastern and Etihad, it’s time for a Livery of the Week. But why look at just one livery – lets look at many.
When I lived in Australia, there were not many choices in the way of special liveries. With only a handful of airlines and maybe one or two planes in a fleet with the occasional sticker on the side, there wasn’t diversity. But here in the US, you have many, many different options — which is exciting for a spotter like myself.
The one airline that astounded me as to how many special offerings they have was Southwest.
Southwest’s Florida One shows the states seal on the front of the plane – Photo: JL Johnson | AirlineReporter
Southwest has many different special liveries, but the most entertaining ones to me are the state liveries. The state liveries are based upon some of the airline’s more prominent destinations. Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Maryland, Florida… even Illinois. They are all named in the same pattern as well. Generally, the aircraft wears the name of the state and then One. For instance New Mexico’s aircraft is ’œNew Mexico One.’ California would be California One, but of course everyone knows there is an exception to the rule and that is, of course, Texas. They call their plane ’œLone Star One.’ The good news with Southwest’s recent fleet-wide livery change is that these special aircraft will not be disappearing!
China Eastern’s first Boeing 777-300ER seen next to the Future of Flight – Photo: Jeremy Dwyer Lindgren / NYCAviation.com
Covering a story for AirlineReporter can be a dangerous business. Originally we had our Lee Zerrilla heading to the reveal of China Eastern’s first Boeing 777-300ER, when BAM he got in a minor accident. Lee is okay, but sad he was not able to make it to the event.
Have no fear, our good friends at NYCAviation (and photographer Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren) were nice enough to share their photos and information about the aircraft (thanks guys!).
Although, the photos end up showing what, I think, is a pretty ugly livery, it is what is on the inside that counts with this bird.
This is not the first time we have seen China Eastern’s new livery on the 777. We saw it when it came out of the paint booth and I have to say that I wasn’t a fan. Heck, I might have even called it the worst livery ever. Maybe a tad bit harsh, but I am just not a fan of these bland designs.
Okay. The livery doesn’t look half bad in the sunset – Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren | NYCAviation.com
Some wondered if this was a temporary livery, but no, this is China Eastern’s new official livery.
The new logo on the tail is not so bad. It is a swallow consisting of the letters C and E, which represents the airline’s name. Sure, that is fine and dandy, but why so boring for the rest of the aircraft?
The airline was more excited to show off the new interior of the aircraft, which is probably the part that most passengers will care most about.
United’s 787-9 parked at the gate as a 787-8 taxis in next door
This story was originally published on Airways News by Seth Miller.
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner entered service with United Airlines Monday, making the Chicago-based carrier the third airline in the world to offer service on the type. The first flight operated from Houston to Los Angeles, a route the carrier has used for 787 training and proving runs since taking delivery of its first 787-8 two years ago. After a short period of domestic flights, the aircraft will enter international service this fall. The first route the 787-9 will serve is Los Angeles ’“ Melbourne, which will be the longest 787 route in the world when it launches in late October. Airways News was a guest of United’s on the inaugural flight.
The forward BusinessFirst cabin of the 787-9
For most passengers (and the airline) this was business as usual; just another flight from Houston to Los Angeles. There was no special reception at either end, no balloons and nary a cupcake to be seen. Yet there was still a bit of excitement in the air. For some passengers it was just about flying on a Dreamliner. For others being on the inaugural was a specific goal. Neil Gamrod was up at 4am Eastern to make his way down to Houston for the inaugural flight.
Like others he studied the airline schedules and adjusted his plans a few times, just to make it on board. And by the time we wrapped up the day with a celebratory dinner at the In-n-Out adjacent to LAX he was absolutely convinced it was a worthwhile trip, even if he was exhausted. Like many other 787 passengers Gamrod noted the more comfortable cabin comfort and the quieter ride as just a couple of the advantages the Dreamliner brings to the skies.
Continue reading Taking the Inaugural United Airlines Boeing 787-9 Flight on Airways News
