British Airways’ Captain Rob de Martino takes some time between flights to answer your questions, including how he’d spend 24 hours in Kuala Lumpur, and who controls the temperature on board

BA will resume flights to Kuala Lumpur from May. How would you spend 24 hours there?
I last flew into KL more than 25 years ago when we were operating there with the classic Boeing 747. If I had 24 hours, I’d walk around to get a feel for the place before a hop-on hop-off bus tour. It’s a great way to see the city quickly. I’d finish by visiting a restaurant packed with locals and ordering some Malaysian specialities.

The 787-9 is launching in September. What does the ‘-9’ stand for?
The -9 is the Boeing-designated model number that differentiates it from the other two 787 models (the -8 and -10). I’m not sure why the Boeing team started at -8 and not -1, but I suspect ‘787-8’ had a better ring to it. The 787 family increases in size, with the -10 being the largest (it has about 323 seats). This isn’t in production yet, but expected delivery date is 2018.

How does the 787-9 compare with the 747?
In common with all 787s, the -9 is constructed using a significant amount of carbon composites (around 50 per cent composite and 20 per cent aluminium by weight). The 747 is mainly constructed from traditional aluminium and rivets. The 787-9 cruises at about the same speed as the 747, and the -9 model will have a four-class configuration. However, overall passenger load will be less than the 747. The major difference is the dramatic improvement in fuel efficiency, thanks to the weight saving of the composite construction and improved engines.

Who controls the temperature on board and why is it so hot during boarding?
Depending upon the aircraft, it can be the pilots or cabin crew. Some aircraft, including the A380, A320 and 787, allow the senior cabin crew member to set individual temperatures. Saying that, when we’re on the ground and the engines aren’t running, we often rely on air supplied by the airport. Local regulations on carbon and pollutant emissions often prevent us from starting our auxiliary power unit until shortly before we are due to leave. Once we get these started we can often cool the cabin more quickly. We’re working with airport authorities worldwide to improve the quality and efficacy of the air-conditioning equipment they make us use. In addition to safety, customer comfort is always a priority.

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This article has been tagged BA, Travel Tips