Luxury: Airbus A380 vs. Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Friday, August 3, 2007

Luxury: Airbus A380 vs. Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Airbus and Boeing are arch rivals for dominance in the passenger airplane business. Airbus has its headquarters in Toulouse, France, while Boeing has its headquarters in Chicago, IL. So the battle between the two companies is considered by many to be a battle between the US and Europe (and sometimes just France).

In January 2005, Airbus drew first blood with a fanfare unveiling of the A380, a super passenger jetliner that seats 555 or 800 passengers, depending on the internal configuration. On July 8, 2007, Boeing responded with the unveiling of the 787 Dreamliner, also to much fanfare. (It seems like fanfare and unveiling goes hand in hand these days.)

The 787 seats up to 330 passengers, depending on the model and the configuration (even though some say 416 is the top passenger number). The A380 comes in two models (A380-800 for passengers and A380-800F for freight). The 787 is expected to have three models (787-8, 787-3, and 787-9).

Both companies are now doing battle for orders from airlines and high-rollers. So far, Boeing is looking beautiful out of starting blocks. Get ready to fly large.