A round-up of today's other stories in brief
New Boeing in service
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the world’s first carbon-composite airliner, flew to Hong Kong from Tokyo carrying its first paying passengers this week.
Hailed as a defining moment in air travel, the Dreamliner does not fly any faster than its predecessor, but is designed instead to make its flying hours more pleasant for passengers and cheaper to fly for owners.
The Dreamliner that flew this week with 240 passengers is owned by All Nippon Airways. Production hiccups delayed delivery of the aircraft for three years. Its cabin builders promise a flight with ambient lighting engineered to lull passengers to sleep. With its mostly carbon-composite body, Boeing’s technological flagship offers a 20 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency and a 30 per cent reduction in maintenance costs.
Airfield to close for 18 months
Today sees the final event at Dublin’s Airfield before the urban farm closes for an 18-month refurbishment. One of the best known amenities on the southside, Airfield will be greatly missed.
Bid a final farewell and head along to the Halloween Family Fun Day between noon and 4pm today. There’ll be a céilí, Halloween trail, and everyone’s invited to dress as a scarecrow. Adults €6, children €3.