Summary
EVA Air received its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at the end of 2018, becoming the first airline in Taiwan to own a B787 aircraft. Originally, I had booked a flight with Japan Airlines, but it was changed to a B767 Skysuite. Feeling regretful about not being able to fly on the Dreamliner, I was thrilled to learn that EVA Air would be operating B787 flights between Taoyuan and Tokyo this year. Without hesitation, I purchased two tickets at the beginning of the year and finally had the opportunity to fly on the coveted B787 Dreamliner.
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In November 2015, EVA Air signed a contract with Boeing to introduce the 787 Dreamliner, becoming the first airline in Taiwan to use the aircraft. They have ordered a total of four 787-9 and twenty 787-10 aircraft, with delivery expected to be completed by 2022. It is worth mentioning that EVA Air has increased its daily flights between Taoyuan and Tokyo since the beginning of this year, adding two additional flights, BR184 and BR183. Furthermore, all flights that were previously operated by the A321 narrow-body aircraft have been upgraded to wide-body aircraft. (Although the aircraft for BR184 and BR183 flights were eventually changed back to the A321…). The originally planned aircraft for BR198 was also changed from the B777-300ER to the B787-9. It was not until two months before departure that the aircraft was upgraded to the B787-10 Dreamliner, which was officially put into service by EVA Air this summer. This unexpected surprise was a highlight of the journey.
Flight Information:
- EVA Air
- Flight Number: Outbound/BR198 (B-17801), Inbound/BR195 (B-17803)
- Aircraft: B787-10 (B787-X) Dreamliner
- Travel Dates: 2019.9.10, 2019.9.14
- Flight Time: Outbound/08:50-13:15, Inbound/20:40-23:20
This trip was a standard early departure and late return flight. Unfortunately, on the day of departure, there was a delay in loading luggage and congestion on the runway at Taoyuan Airport, resulting in a delay of over an hour before takeoff. By the time we arrived in Tokyo, it was already after 2:00 PM local time.
The outbound flight, BR198, was operated by EVA Air’s first B787-10 aircraft, registered as B-17801. Since the aircraft was only a few months old, both the exterior and interior were very new. It was the first time I had flown on such a new aircraft, despite having flown many times before.
Since there was a long wait on the plane before takeoff, and I had chosen a seat closer to the front, I started recording some of the aircraft’s features and the condition of entertainment facilities such as AVOD. The seat configuration of EVA Air’s B787-10 is the same as that of the B787-9, with only a distinction between business class and economy class. The economy class is configured in a 3-3-3 layout, and overall, the seat width is sufficient, avoiding the awkward situation of elbow contact with the neighboring passenger. The distance between seats in the front and back is also sufficient. Considering EVA Air’s plan to operate B787 aircraft on European routes in the future, this seat spacing should not cause any discomfort during flights lasting several hours.
The cabin configuration of EVA Air’s B787 is arranged in a 3-3-3 layout.
The cabin of the EVA Air B787 is quite bright. While waiting for the flight attendant to serve meals, one can only wait on the side.
The legroom between the front and rear seats in the economy class of the EVA Air B787 is quite ample.
Regarding the onboard entertainment system, the highlight of the EVA Air B787 is its 12-inch high-resolution AVOD screen, which is very clear. Although the short flight from Taipei to Tokyo doesn’t allow for much time to experience the entertainment system, enjoying the latest amenities still feels quite satisfying.
The EVA Air B787 aircraft features a high-resolution screen measuring up to 12 inches.
The AVOD screen has a headphone jack and USB charging port located on the bottom left corner.
Since there was a long wait on the plane before takeoff, it was the first time I had experienced a delayed departure. Fortunately, the itinerary for the first day in Tokyo was not too tight, so it did not affect the rest of the trip too much.
Due to the high passenger capacity of the B787-10 aircraft, which can accommodate over three hundred people, the flight attendants started serving meals shortly after takeoff, once the seatbelt sign was turned off. While waiting for the meal service, I also took the opportunity to explore the rear section of the cabin and the lavatories.
After finishing the meal, I had some time to rest and wait for the remaining flight time. The weather was good that day, and combined with the larger size of the B787 aircraft, the overall comfort of the flight was quite pleasant. It was a smooth journey.
For the return flight, I boarded EVA Air’s B787-10 aircraft, registered as B-17803. It was also a very new aircraft, having been delivered in August of this year. I could even smell the newness of the plane. However, since the return flight was in the evening, I did not take additional photos of the exterior. I only briefly documented the changes in the cabin at night and the in-flight meal.
Overall, my flying experience with EVA Air was excellent, just as it had been when I flew on China Airlines’ A350-900 aircraft. The comfort level was comparable, but I personally preferred EVA Air, especially during takeoff and landing, which were very smooth. If I have the opportunity to travel abroad again and have a choice of airlines, EVA Air will definitely be my first choice!
