Aeromexico launched its first flight on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on Sunday (6 November) with a new aircraft featuring enhanced capacity and energy-saving technology.
The new model has increased the number of business class seats by 12% and is expected to boost overall capacity significantly, according to Lourdes Berho, chief executive of the Mexico Tourism Board.
“It’s a really cutting edge aircraft,” she told Travel Weekly. “It will save 20% energy, so it’s going to have much less of an impact in terms of carbon footprint.”
Called “Quetzalcoatl”, the economy cabin on the aircraft features 238 ergonomic seats complete with 11-inch touchscreens (two inches bigger than on the previous Dreamliners), WiFi and various other updates, including a filter system designed to help prevent jet lag. The Business Class cabin has been designed by studio New Territory with flat-bed seats and a new style of bar complete with a canopy ‘skylight’.
Capacity will be further increased when Aeromexico increases its flight departures from London Heathrow to Mexico City to seven times per week in 2017 (up from six currently). “By having more frequent flights we calculated that there will be almost 30% more seats available, so that connectivity right now is really important if we want to increase the market,” said Berho.
“What we’ve seen happening in other markets is that once one airline starts increasing the others do too, so that’s good competition and the demand is there – all the flights are full, they almost don’t have any empty seats.”
The country is aiming to hit 830,000 visitors from the UK by 2021, compared to 500,000 this year. Tourist numbers from the UK rose 9.3% over the past year and 10.3% internationally, with Mexico now the ninth most visited country in the world.
“We believe we can do even better, hopefully moving one more place in the next couple of years,” said Berho.