More than 3 years behind the schedule, Boeing finally delivered its first 787 Dreamliner yesterday.

Billed as one of the world’s most fuel-efficient aircraft, the Dreamliner flew from the manufacturer’s headquarters in Renton, near Seattle, to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

The aircraft will undergo a series of testing with All Nippon Airways (ANA), before its commercial launch this autumn.

Following its launch in 2007, the Dreamliner was scheduled to enter service in May 2008, but a series of problems during production and testing have resulted in numerous delays.

It is the first aircraft to be made largely from lightweight composite materials, helping it consume 20 per cent less fuel than other models of similar size, and its noise-reducing features make it among the quietest planes ever constructed.