Airbus A380 Versus the Boeing 787 Dreamliner

The two major aerospace OEMs are locked in a battle that each hopes will lead to domination of the skies. For every aircraft that Airbus develops there is an alternative by Boeing, and vice versa. For that reason, the Airbus A320neo is compared to the Boeing 737 Max, the Boeing 747 to the Airbus A380 and the Airbus A350 against the Boeing 787. But the most hyped battle between the two in recent years pits the 787 Dreamliner against the A380. What makes this clash different is the nature of the fight. It is not aircraft versus aircraft but market vision versus market vision.

Many have compared the two on their physical characteristics and both are undeniably impressive machines.

In the one corner stands the Boeing 787, a midsized two-engine wide body that comes in three sizes. All share a 60.17m wingspan, but vary on length and passenger capacity. The smallest, 757-8, is 56.69m long while the largest is 68.27m. The first can carry up to 242 passengers in a two-class configuration and the latter up to 330 passengers. What is most remarkable about the Dreamliner is not its size but the technology it incorporates. It was manufactured using carbon composites, aluminum and titanium and incorporates technology that makes it the most efficient aircraft among Boeing’s current fleet for fuel use. It also leaves a 60 percent smaller noise footprint than other aircraft of the same size. The Dreamliner offers a range of 11.9- 14.1km depending on the size of the aircraft. It comes at a listed cost of US$290 million.

In the other corner, the four engine Airbus A380 is the largest passenger airplane in the world. This doubledecker behemoth offers 50 percent more floor surface than its closest competitor and can carry 544 passengers in a four-class configuration. If furnished exclusively with only economy class seats, it can fit a whopping 853 people. This enormous aircraft has a 79.75m wingspan and an overall length of 72.72m. Being a double decker, it also has a height of 24.09m. The Airbus A380 comes at a listed price of almost US$404 million.

From the number of engines, to wingspan and passenger numbers, these aircraft do not have much in common. In fact, the Airbus A380 can be compared more closely to the Boeing 747, which is similar in size, while the Dreamliner is more closely related to the Airbus A350 XWB, both having two-engine wide bodies that incorporate a significant percentage of composites. Yet, many have pitted the Airbus 380 and Dreamliner against each other.

This comparison is often made because both aircraft have been hailed by their manufacturers as game changers that can increase revenue by optimizing performance. For this reason, the discussion at its core is not an aircraft comparison but an effect-on-the-market assessment.

With the A380, Airbus bet the market would continue to rely on major airport hubs that would be supplemented by smaller aircraft. Such a market would require medium to small aircraft to carry passengers to and from hubs and large aircraft that would directly connect hubs. Boeing placed its wager on a different market with the Dreamliner. Instead of hub-to-hub trips, the target was to transport passengers to secondary cities with direct flights.

Boeing’s play seems to be paying off. While the A380 is breaking size records, the Dreamliner has been more attractive to airlines according to orders and deliveries. The A380 has 319 orders and 194 deliveries, while the Dreamliner has 1,161 orders and 455 deliveries, including all three models, as of Aug. 31, 2016.

These acquisition patterns are just a reflection of market fluctuation and passenger preferences. As the sector keeps evolving only time will tell what new trends will arise and which business model prevails.