Business class ➔
Battle of the skies Like prize fighters, aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing are going toe to toe to win market share in the commercial aviation market. The stakes are high: the purse is worth £63billion a year in sales of all types of aircraft, with those that roll off the production lines in Toulouse and Seattle representing a large proportion of the world output. First quarter figures for 2012 revealed the
major contenders were almost equal on points. Airbus reported the delivery of 131 aircraft, a year-on-year increase of 10 per cent, while Boeing rolled out 137 to its customers, up 32 per cent. While short- and medium-haul types are
included in the figures, the current focus for both manufacturers is on the long-haul segment of the market. Here, Airbus’ future is reliant on the A380 Superjumbo, Boeing’s on the B787 Dreamliner, and a larger version of the venerable Boeing 747, the new B747-8, due to enter passenger service with Lufthansa this spring. Although it is working on the A350,
designed to fly in direct competition with the B787 from 2014, Airbus is currently concentrating on the A380. It had firm orders for 253 in February 2012, with Emirates accounting for 90 of those. Entering passenger service with Singapore Airlines in 2007, the Superjumbo is the largest-ever passenger aircraft, its statistics mind boggling. A double- decker, its tailfin eight storeys high, it has 50 per cent more cabin space than the Boeing 747-400, and provides seating for up to 550 passengers in three-class configuration or over 800 in an all- economy layout. Such dimensions led to much early speculation about the extras and benefits the A380 could offer. There was talk of onboard duty-free shops, two-deck restaurants, gyms and even cinemas. All pie in the sky it transpired. Putting the situation in commercially
realistic perspective, Akbar Al Baker, head of Qatar Airways, which has five A380s on order, said some years ago that airlines would concentrate on utilising the space for passengers, rather than goodies. A glance at the facilities onboard the Superjumbos in service confirms the prediction. As Airbus points out, the emphasis is on cabin comfort and eco- efficiency, with the lowest fuel burn and operating costs in commercial aviation. Singapore Airlines, for example, claims to
have the widest seat in long-haul business class at 34inches, which transforms to the
largest executive class flatbed in the skies. Air France, too, provides a flatbed seat in
business class on its A380s, the cabin split into two with a gallery area exhibiting digital artwork and stand-up bars either side of the aircraft. Emirates claims a number of A380
“The A380 and B787
represent the different approaches to the market. Airbus is a
proponent of hub and spoke operations while Boeing supports direct point-to-point flights, flying passengers
where they want to go without stops”
innovations, including two shower spas in first class. The airline’s business class offers flatbed seats housed in a shell with mini bar, privacy panel, large table, stowage space and USB ports. Executive passengers also have access to a lounge on the upper deck at the rear of the aircraft, with a fully stocked bar, canapés and two sofas. More than 70 A380s
have entered service in the past five years, with Malaysia Airlines one of the latest to join the fray. It launches
non-stop London to Kula Lumpur flights, three times weekly, on A380s from July 1 and daily from August 1. On board facilities include flatbed seats, and 'Chef on Call', allowing business class passengers to pre-order their choice of gourmet meals. By comparison, the Boeing 787, with a
similar range to the A380, is a newcomer, first flown by ANA All Nippon Airlines between Frankfurt and Narita in January. The A380 and B787 represent the
different approaches to the market. Airbus is a proponent of hub and spoke operations while Boeing supports direct point-to-point flights, flying passengers where they want to go without intermediate stops. Boeing’s strategy has been to deliver economies of scale through technological
innovation, making the most of new, fuel- efficient twin engines and concentrating on comfort rather than perks. So the B787 has more standing headroom than usual, larger windows and bathrooms, and higher cabin humidity for its 210 to 250 passengers. The company has 860 orders for the
B787, with Japan Airlines launching commercial flights between Tokyo and Boston towards the end of April. Other customers include Qatar Airways, which has 30 aircraft on order, with options on a further 30, and plans to launch flights between Heathrow and Doha this summer. Also in line for delivery are Air New
Zealand, Air Canada, Air India, BA, Delta, Jet Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Orders for the A380 and B787 make
excellent reading in the Toulouse and Seattle boardrooms. But there have been clouds in the otherwise clear skies. Both manufacturers have suffered production delays due to the inability of cash-strapped contractors to complete supplies of components. And both admit their schedules fell behind partly because they began production of the A380 and B787 before their designs and manufacturing systems were sufficiently mature. A further setback for Airbus was a recent
threat by Hong Kong Airlines to cancel orders for ten A380s in protest at the EU’s decision to make all flights into European airports pay for their carbon emissions. A warning there, perhaps, for legislators who have failed to balance environmental concerns against commercial imperatives. The giant rivals will, no doubt, be forced
to include politics as well as production issues in their efforts to deliver a knock-out blow in the marketing battle.
Pictured: Singapore Airlines' A380 business class cabin
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THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 87
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