Boeing Dreamliner's first passengers take to the sky (photos)

Yesterday, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner made its first flight in commercial service, flying more than 200 passengers from Tokyo to Hong Kong. Chris Sloan, an aviation writer who was covering the first flight for Airways magazine and Airchive.com, was one of those passengers, and he shared his experience--and these photos--with CNET.

In the airport in Tokyo, an ANA sign welcomes passengers to their historic flight.

A digital board in the airport in Tokyo shows a list of upcoming flights. Toward the bottom is the listing for the first Dreamliner flight, ANA flight NH7871 to Hong Kong.

This is a boarding pass for the first Dreamliner passenger flight, ANA flight 7871 from Tokyo to Hong Kong on October 25, 2011.

This is a certificate passengers aboard the flight received prior to boarding.

ANA embroidered a "787 We fly first" logo on the Dreamliner's seats.

The ANA flight crew waits for passengers on the first flight.

Passengers aboard the flight file into their seats.

Flight attendants aboard the flight show off a special 787 Dreamliner brochure.

Here, we see the meal menu for the first ANA Dreamliner flight.

An ANA flight attendant waits for passengers at a console toward the front of the Dreamliner.

To commemorate the first flight, a truck shoots a giant water spout in the air as the plane taxis toward takeoff.

As the Dreamliner soars between Tokyo and Hong Kong, its left wing is seen outside the window.

The plane's LED lights are designed to change during flight in order to help with passengers' moods.

Here, we see the lights have changed colors completely from the previous image.

Another innovative design on the Dreamliner is that its windows can darken or lighten up, as the passenger wishes. Here, one window is seen fully bright, while another is darker.

This is the Dreamliner's multimedia controller.

This is the interactive flight map, seen on the back of a passenger's seat.

This photograph shows a set of Dreamliner-themed materials given to each passenger.

As the plane taxis into the terminal in Hong Kong, passengers were welcomed by a large banner.

This is another welcome banner in Hong Kong.

One more banner, along with special celebratory lions, welcomed passengers on board the first Dreamliner flight.