Since the release of both the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, there has been one burning question: “Who would win? Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787?” and has lead airlines to ask themselves “Which one is best for what we need?”
Because, both do the same job* or do they? Whilst the A350 and 787 are both built for long distance, they are both serving wildly different markets.
The question of “Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787?” comes down to metrics rather than how the two aircraft compete with one another.
The question of “Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787?” also comes down to company allegiances rather than performance.
We will never truly know the answer to”Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787?” as the two aircraft do not serve on the same routes, rather, accomplishing two completely different tasks!
Boeing 787
Whilst we have done an article on the Boeing 787, we will go into some detail here. The 787 is meant to be the 747’s successor, and the flagship of the Boeing company once the 747 is retired completely.
The ‘Dreamliner’, as Boeing dubbed it, can fly over 8,500nm whilst cruising at a comfortable 0.85 Mach.
The Dreamliner does boast some impressive features that passengers are looking for, such as a wider walk way, adjustable LED lighting (rather than the typical CFL light bulbs!), larger overhead bins without compromising passenger head space and more!
However, the 787 is not just one aircraft, but a series of aircraft, including: 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10.
What are the selling points of the Dreamliner?
There are a few points that sets the Dreamliner apart from other aircraft that may (try to) compete with it. These are:
- The low price tag of the Dreamliner, Lots of aircraft, especially those which are widebody and/or long range, tend to demand a high price, such as the 747 with a $350 million price tag! However, for the Dreamliner, the price tag is a conservative $248 million on the low end and $338 million on the high end of the spectrum! This is a major argument is favor of the 787 when the “Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787?” debate is brought up!
- Number of passengers, on the low end (for the -8), you can expect 242 passengers on board and on the high end, you can expect 330 passengers, which isn’t as much as a 747, but is still a great number nevertheless!
- Design, this is rather subjective, but the 787’s design is meant to fit 21st century standards. The aircraft is meant to be sleek, modern and aesthetically pleasing!
- London to Sydney non-stop. Sure, you could take an A380 or 747 to Sydney, there’s nothing stopping you or the aircraft from doing so. But, you will have a layover, as extra fuel is added, the crew changes over and basic maintenance is done. But with a 787, that isn’t a problem! The 787 is the only aircraft (so far) that has this ability! This too is one of the major arguments in the “Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787?” question!
- Larger than its competitors. To quote Randy Neville (Boeing chief test pilot) “It’s the first thing a passenger notices. It’s so wide! Wider than you’d expect too!” What the Dreamliner doesn’t have, is a double deck as say, the 747 does, but it makes up for that with how wide it is, which allows the aircraft to accommodate more passengers is shorter length!
Airbus A350
The Airbus A350 was meant to be Airbus’ response to the 787.
Initially, Airbus had hoped it would be another member of the A330 family that would compete with the Dreamliner, but once Airbus saw the size of the Dreamliner, they knew it would be cheaper to just develop an airliner from scratch.
The A350 is meant to replace the A380 as Airbus’s flagship aircraft after their retirement from service. The A350 has a range of 8,800nm and a cruising speed of 0.85 Mach (just like the Dreamliner!)
What are the selling points of the A350?
There some features of the A350 that makes the A350 superior to its competition, these include:
- The price tag, when compared to airliners such as the A380 and 747, the A350 is considerably cheaper, at a $317 million to $366 million compared to the $350 million fro a standard 747
- It’s bigger, the A350 is considerably larger, both in terms of width and in terms of length. The A350 is a whole meter wider than the Dreamliner, which leads to an extra seat being added on each row! The Airbus is also longer, which sees it holding more aisles than the Boeing does.
- Number of passengers, due to this, the Airbus is able to hold more passengers than the Dreamliner is. The -1000 is able to hold between 350 and 410 passengers depending on the class configuration, which is between 20 and 80 passengers more than the Dreamliner!
- Bigger windows, windows are everything for airliners. Whilst you’re 33,000 feet in the air and potentially thousands of miles away from home, stuck in a metal tube traveling at just under the speed of sound, windows are your only reminder. The bigger windows will also save airlines money, as they will allow for more natural light to come in, and thus, will make it so that less artificial lighting is needed.
- It’s quieter, when you are on a flight, you can always notice the rumbling of the engines. It is the aim for aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus (and Bombardier and Embraer and so on) to minimize that no matter the cost. The A350 is a lot quieter than other jets, arguably more so than the 787! This is a major argument in the “Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787?” debate!
Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787- who wins?
If you were to ask me “Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787?” on the street, I would reply something along the lines of “Whilst I prefer the overall design of the A350, I much prefer the 787!”
However, many will point out one major point. They are meant for vastly different roles.
The A350 for example, was meant to fly to the biggest airports in all the world, where there were noise restrictions, whereas, the Dreamliner was meant to fly to any airport in the world from any airport in the world!
The question of “Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787?” is often frowned upon by Airbus fans as they believe that the aircraft are different in every way shape and form.
When you look at the operations of both aircraft, the Dreamliner is used for longer haul routes, such as London to Sydney (that I mentioned earlier), whereas, the A350 is used for slightly shorter routes, such as London to Abu Dhabi.
Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787- who would you choose? Do you agree with my answer “Airbus A350 vs Boeing 787?” or not? Tell me in the comments!
Featured image credit: Waychen_c via Flickr