Leasing company takes delivery of its first Boeing 787

The Boeing Company, International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) and Norwegian celebrated several milestones Thursday during a delivery ceremony for a new 787 Dreamliner. It was the first 787 delivered to ILFC and its lessee, Norwegian, which will operate the airplane. The 787 also marked the 700th airplane Boeing delivered to ILFC.

"Norwegian gains a significant competitive advantage by opening its long-haul routes with this airplane,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner.

The delivery to ILFC builds on Boeing's 40-year relationship with the Los Angeles-based leasing company and largest 787 customer with 74 Dreamliners on order.

Norwegian Chief Executive Officer Bjorn Kjos said, "Both our many customers and we at Norwegian have been looking forward to this for several months.”

Norwegian currently has eight 787s on order through lease agreements and direct deliveries. The carrier will use the 787s to service its new long-haul routes from Oslo and Stockholm to New York and Bangkok. In November, the airline also will operate the 787 to Fort Lauderdale from Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen.

To date, the 787 has accumulated 930 orders from 58 customers worldwide.

Follow DCNewsroom on Twitter.