Originally posted by Ren Frew
I hope they have a pool table on the A380, it really takes balls to play pool at 40,000 ft.

A hot tub would be nice, if a little messy. 😀

The AA pilot is certainly entitled to his beliefs but his comments were rather inappropriate, especially in the current climate.

I know that Boeing won’t lose out on the whole of course- I was suggesting that the 747 might not be able to return any investment that is put into the 747 programme. In a way, it’s the success of aircraft like the 777 that might eventually be the end of the jumbo.

I agree with you that most airlines choose frequency over capacity. And that could be another reason not embark in expensive upgrades for the 747 when most of those airlines might choose to phase out the big plane and replace it with 777s or others.

All I was saying is that on a head to head confrontation between the 747 and the A380 the odds are not greatly in favour of the former. It is well true that most airlines might dismiss the idea of the luxurious ‘cruising ship’ settings the A380 can offer (although Richard Branson has made noises to the contrary) but isn’t this yet another advantage for the Airbus a/c? If high volume of passengers if what airlines want the Airbus could accommodate ridiculous amounts of them.

I don’t know, I think Boeing could be shooting itself in the foot if it decides to get involved in expensive revampings for the 747.

Until recently the 747 had no rival and reigned supreme in the 400-plus market. Since Airbus formally launched the A380 sales of the 747 have been rather poor. New engines and economics surely are welcome news, but the fact remains that if one has to choose between the only two very large aircraft available to the public today, the Airbus seems to win hands down in most categories: brand new design and technology, bigger pax capacity, larger cargo area, more floor space, better economics and at least the same 8,000-mile range the Advanced 747 would offer (notice how Boeing’s statement says the 747 Advanced would be the only 400- to 500-seat jetliner offering 8,000 nautical miles range- no mention of jetliners with more than 500 seats).

It is possible that the 400-plus market might go into an irreversible decline, if more airlines decide to ditch very large aircraft and concentrate on the 300 to 400-seat a/c such as the 777 or the A330/A340. Or it is possible that the demand for 400+ aircraft continues going on strong- in which case few people would want to choose the 747 over a much more spacious, cheaper to run and profitable A380. In either scenario Boeing would lose out IMHO.