Word: a350
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...Analysts such as Aboulafia see a future that favors Boeing's smaller, all-composite 787 (assuming it ever gets built). Airbus is already developing a new not-so-jumbo jet, the A350, for that purpose. But Air France CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon is sticking by his hub strategy. The skies are getting crowded, and he'd rather have the A380 to collect passengers in Paris from all over Europe and deliver them to places like New York and Johannesburg. "It's just like the big cities today," he says. "It doesn't make sense to add a lot of small...
Airbus' counterstroke to the Dreamliner is a bigger (average 314 seats), more technologically advanced, fuel-efficient A350, an "Xtra Wide-Body" plane planned for rollout in 2013. The goal is to compete with the Dreamliner for new business while rendering the economics of Boeing's transoceanic 777 obsolete. Boeing is already headed for a larger plane, the 787-10, a potential 320-seater, primarily because of demand from airlines like Dubai-based Emirates and Australia's Qantas Airways...
...Airbus, the message of Boeing's 787-10 is clear: "The fact that the airplane is on the drawing board today is an accolade to the competitive threat from the A350-1000," says Chris Jones, vice president of marketing for Airbus. Qantas has placed 65 firm orders for the 787 and has the option of 20 more. But an Emirates spokeswoman says the airline is still undecided over the 787 or the A350. Emirates is the largest purchaser of the A380, at 55 orders...
Boeing says it isn't sweating the A350. First, it has a five-year technology lead over the A350-900. "When all the dust settles, the important thing is that we keep progressing," says Bair. "They will figure it out, but we will be five and six years into knowing what we know and be that much better at it." And the 47-strong customer base that Boeing has for the 787 shows validation of the company's vision and its intent to dislodge Airbus' grip on the medium-range market. Boeing is trying to make the 787 easier...
Some Airbus watchers blame the A380--with 165 orders--for hogging valuable resources and causing delays in the A350 schedule. The two planes stand for Airbus' somewhat divergent views on how to meet the needs of travelers as all aspects of flying grow. Critics say the company overestimated the double-decker market--and overcommitted with its investment of $16 billion. On Oct. 15, the A380 will be delivered to launch customer Singapore Airlines after more than a year's delay. "Airbus was thinking that people wanted massive airplanes to go between the continents," says Neidl. "What's wrong with that...