Airbus 380 and Boeing 747 in competition

Two of the largest and most competitive passenger airliners in the world are Airbus 380 and Boeing 747. The United States’ Boeing 747 and the European Union’s Airbus 380 are at the peak of commercial competition in the aircraft industry. From the physical features and configurations to their economic impact, the aircrafts maximise their scope for a wider market.

Popularly known as the Jumbo Jet, Boeing 747 was the first wide-bodied airliner ever produced by Boeing’s Commercial Airplane unit in the US. The aircraft’s first commercial flight was in 1970s. Its upper deck is intentionally designed to look like a hump. This is where the passengers’ lounge and extra seating can be found. By removing the seats on the deck, that part of the craft can be converted into a cargo carrier.

For almost 37 years, Boeing 747 held the record as the aircraft with the largest passenger capacity, until the European Corporation Airbus manufactured their latest aircraft, Airbus 380. Overlapping the capacity of Boeing 747, A380 is now being called Super Jumbo. It now holds the record that Boeing 747 once held as being the largest passenger aircraft in the world. It has a seating capacity of up to 853 passengers. Its first commercial flight was on October 25, 2007 from Sydney to Singapore. The aircraft’s wide body has a cabin that is 50 percent larger than Boeing 747-400.

These airliners compete not only on configurations and capacity. Outsourcing is one of their disputes, which is based on either commercial or political criteria. More so, both companies also compete on the use of the most advanced technology to gain higher performance advantages in all their services.