World
What to expect from the new Boeing 777-9 – the world’s longest and widest passenger plane
The fuselage is the longest of any commercial jet, more than 250ft, allowing airlines to carry up to 426 passengers, depending on how many classes they offer. New lean-burn engines mean it can fly for 8,400 miles in one hop, making non-stop flights from London to Hawaii possible.
Boeing already has 481 orders for the new jet, which has a list price of £334 million. Qatar Airways and Emirates, which will be among the first carriers to fly it, will use the 777-9 to install brand new first-class cabins, just as they used the A380 to introduce halo products, such as suites, bars and showers. British Airways and Singapore Airlines will follow suit.
The jet is so large that most airlines will go for a four-class configuration: economy, premium economy, business and first. The width of the fuselage means that there will be 10 seats across in economy, arranged three-four-three across the cabin.