First tranche of United 787 routes to put aircraft’s mission to the test

United's planned initial international destinations for its Boeing 787 widebodies will be a crucial test to prove out the concept of the aircraft's optimal mission of long, thin routes as Asia features prominently in the first crop of routes the carrier plans for 787 operations. The deployment on some of United's European routes will also allow the carrier to put its theory of using the 787 to manage seasonality throughout its network to the test.

Delivery of the first of 50 Boeing 787s to United is scheduled for Sep-2012. United's acceptance of the aircraft will mark the first delivery to a US carrier, with six aircraft deliveries planned for the remainder of 2012. All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan Airlines (JAL) and Ethiopian Airlines are now operating the aircraft, and South American airline group LATAM is scheduled to accept its first 787 in late Aug-2012.