British Airways now has a total of seven Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners. The oneworld alliance member took delivery of its latest Dreamliner on May 26th, with the aircraft arriving at its new London Heathrow home on May 27th. Despite the aircraft only being delivered at the end of May, the airframe is actually almost two years old - having had its first test flight on June 9th, 2021.

Delivery flight details

Following a Dreamliner delivery in April, the newest addition to the British Airways fleet is a Boeing 787-10 registered G-ZBLE. As per data from FlightRadar24.com, the aircraft departed Boeing facilities in Charleston on May 26th at 23:51 local time, operating as flight BA9151. The jet then touched down at London Heathrow at 12:14 local time. The total duration of this delivery flight was seven hours and 23 minutes.

The website Aviation Flights reports that this aircraft, prior to delivery, had conducted a total of seven flights. Its cumulative flight time prior to delivery was 16 hours and 20 minutes.

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A long time since the assembly line

While G-ZBLE has yet to enter commercial service and can be considered a new aircraft for British Airways, it's not exactly 'hot off the assembly line.' That's because the Boeing 787 is now about two years old, having spent more than a year in storage at a San Antonio facility between 2021 and 2022.

According to Aviation Flights, after taking its first test flight on June 9th, the jet was flown from Charleston to Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) (SKF) on June 11th. The aircraft then spent about 13 months in storage at the San Antonio facility before flying back to Charleston on July 26th, 2022. It then sat on the ground in Charleston from this date through to March 24th, 2023, the date of its fourth flight (second test flight). Subsequent test flights took place on March 30th, April 3rd, and April 27th.

This extended period on the ground is more than likely due to Boeing's 2021-2022 787 delivery stoppage. The US planemaker's quality control and production processes were under review by the Federal Aviation Administration, resulting in a lengthy 15-month pause on deliveries. In August 2022, American Airlines was the first carrier to take a new 787 after Boeing was cleared to resume deliveries.

Where British Airways is deploying its 787-10s

North America appears to be the preferred region for the airline's 787-10s. Launching from the carrier's hub at London Heathrow, FlightRadar24.com schedule data shows that current North American destinations include:

• Chicago O'Hare
• Houston Intercontinental
• Newark Liberty
• Toronto Pearson

The 787-10 also makes less frequent appearances for cities like Baltimore, Seattle, and Pittsburgh.

Outside of the United States, Kuwait City sees fairly regular service with the type, while Dubai may get an odd 787-10 service here and there.

Have you had a chance to fly on the British Airways' Boeing 787-10s yet? Would you prefer this aircraft over other BA jets, such as the Airbus A380? Share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment!

Sources: Planespotters.net, FlightRadar24.com, Aviation Flights

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  British Airways

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  BA/BAW

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport

  Year Founded:

  1974

  Alliance:

  oneworld

  Airline Group:

  IAG

  CEO:

  Sean Doyle

  Country:

  United Kingdom