EVA Air’s new-generation 777-300ER delivered in Seattle

▲ EVA Air’s 16th and 17th new 777-300ER aircraft were delivered at Boeing’s Delivery Center in Seattle at 9:00 a.m. on the 21st local time (photo provided by EVA Air)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

EVA Air’s 16th and 17th new 777-300ER aircraft, with registration numbers B-16718 and B-16719, were handed over at a ceremony at 9:00 a.m. on the 21st local time in Seattle (midnight on the 22nd Taipei time). Boeing specially arranged for the two aircraft to be delivered side by side in a grand display. The ceremony was jointly presided over by EVA Air Chairman Chang Kuo-wei and Mr. Ihssane Mounir, Senior Vice President of Boeing Commercial Airplanes for Northeast Asia. After the ribbon-cutting, the new aircraft were opened for viewing, and at 4:00 p.m. local time, both new planes took off from Boeing’s Paine Field Airport. The first aircraft was personally flown back to Taiwan by Chairman Chang, who holds an airline transport pilot license.

These two new aircraft arrived at Taoyuan Airport at 7:30 p.m. on the 22nd Taipei time. After preparation, they will be deployed on American routes starting June 3—flying weekly on Sundays and Mondays as flight BR32 Taipei–New York, and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays as flight BR12 Taipei–Los Angeles.

With the introduction of the new aircraft, EVA Air will increase flights between Taipei and North America starting June 2. The Vancouver and Toronto routes will increase from three to four flights per week, the New York route from five to seven flights per week, and the Los Angeles route from 17 to 20 flights per week. After the 18th 777-300ER is delivered in June, the Los Angeles route will further increase to 21 flights per week, and the San Francisco route to 14 flights per week, bringing the total number of weekly flights between Taipei and North America to 55.

EVA Air stated that since the design phase of the Boeing 777-300ER, the company has been continuously consulted for input. In 2000, under the witness of then Planning Department Manager Chang Kuo-wei, EVA Air signed a contract with Boeing to purchase 15 777 aircraft, which began to be introduced gradually starting in 2005. EVA Air was the launch customer for this outstanding aircraft model. In 2012, EVA Air signed another contract to purchase seven additional aircraft, scheduled for delivery between 2014 and 2016. By then, EVA Air’s 777-300ER fleet will reach 22 aircraft, and the airline does not rule out the possibility of further introducing this type of aircraft in the future.

The newly introduced 777-300ER aircraft by EVA Air will be configured with 333 seats, including 39 Royal Laurel Class (business class), 56 Premium Economy seats, and 238 Economy seats. The cabin environment of the new aircraft has been significantly upgraded, adopting a fashionable and sleek design style. The patterns and colors of the seats and carpets are bolder and more innovative. The carpet features green and orange staggered parallel lines, creating a strong visual sense of flight speed in the extended cabin environment. The headrests of the Royal Laurel Class and Premium Economy seats have been upgraded to genuine leather material, greatly enhancing the seat texture.

To improve the comfort of Premium Economy and Economy passengers, the new aircraft have removed the traditional electronic control box for the in-flight entertainment system located under the seat, providing more legroom for every passenger. In response to the high demand for using and charging personal electronic devices, each seat in all classes is thoughtfully equipped with both 110V and USB power outlets.

The entertainment system has also been significantly upgraded. It includes the latest Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system and GCS (Global Communication Suite) global communication service system. EVA Air is the world’s first airline to be fully certified by Boeing to integrate GCS and eX3 into the 777-300ER model, offering SMS roaming services and SKY Wi-Fi functionality. The seat screens have been upgraded to multi-touch high-resolution displays, with an interface similar to tablet operation—using swipes instead of traditional clicks. The individual screens in Premium Economy and Economy have been upgraded from 9 inches to 11.1 inches, while Royal Laurel Class screens are as large as 16 inches and come with a 4.1-inch LCD capacitive touch screen audio controller, making the remote control feel like a handheld gaming device.

For in-flight amenities, Royal Laurel Class will offer pajamas and bottled water from the renowned FIJI Water brand from the Fiji Islands, allowing passengers to enjoy a home-like level of comfort on board. The popular Rimowa overnight bags will also be redesigned and launched in two new colors: “CRYSTAL GREEN” (pearlescent green) and the classic “PROSECCO” (light gold). Passengers traveling on outbound and return flights will receive two different colored overnight bags, catering to their collecting preferences.

After the delivery of these two new 777-300ER aircraft, EVA Air’s current fleet will reach 66 aircraft, with five more 777-300ERs to be introduced by the end of 2015. Additionally, eight A321-200 regional aircraft announced for introduction in 2011 have already been delivered, with 16 more to be delivered by the end of 2016, bringing EVA Air’s total fleet to over 70 aircraft.