more comfortable ride for long-distance travel. The Cruiser would cut an hour off traditional travel time by flying at a higher elevation and a Mach speed of .98 (most aircraft fly at Mach .80) when Lew Platt became board chair in December of 2003, Boeing abandoned the Sonic Cruiser project in order to focus its efforts on the 787 Dreamliner. Airlines were favoring planes that boasted fuel efficiency over those that offered faster speed. The Dreamliner, slated to fly in May 2008, is popular in the industry because of its potential fuel economy, one-piece composite fuselage sections, and eco-friendliness. It will cost slightly more than half of Airbus's complementary product, and currently has more than twice as much order-book value.