Boeing's 747-8 has won its first order of the year, with Air China's firming up a previously announced commitment for five of the jets, Boeing reported Thursday in its weekly order book update.
Ai
r China's order pushes the total for the 747-8 Intercontinental airliner to 41. Boeing has orders for 70 747-8 Freighters. Airbus, meanwhile, has brought in orders for just four of its double-decker A380 jets this year, well below its target of 30 for the year.
"The theory (behind the big planes) was that the combination of rapid growth and airport constraints would force carriers to up-gauge and go to very large aircraft," said Robert Mann, a former American Airlines fleet manager who is now an industry consultant in Port Washington, N.Y., told Bloomberg for a report published Wednesday. "But for any given airline it becomes a daunting prospect to fill 500 seats with every departure."
Bloomberg also reported that airlines are ordering more smaller jets because passengers prefer flexibility in travel options. This actually validates the strategy Boeing pursued in developing the smaller, composite 787 wide-body when Airbus launched the A380.
Of course, Boeing then initiated the 747-8 program, and Airbus chased the smaller wide-body market with its composite A350.
While Boeing has racked up orders for more than 800 787s, the bigger, older 777 has been the biggest winner recently, with net orders for 202 in 2011 and 16 so far this year.
Boeing has delivered 20 747-8 Freighters and seven Intercontinentals.
Ai
r China's order pushes the total for the 747-8 Intercontinental airliner to 41. Boeing has orders for 70 747-8 Freighters. Airbus, meanwhile, has brought in orders for just four of its double-decker A380 jets this year, well below its target of 30 for the year.
"The theory (behind the big planes) was that the combination of rapid growth and airport constraints would force carriers to up-gauge and go to very large aircraft," said Robert Mann, a former American Airlines fleet manager who is now an industry consultant in Port Washington, N.Y., told Bloomberg for a report published Wednesday. "But for any given airline it becomes a daunting prospect to fill 500 seats with every departure."
Bloomberg also reported that airlines are ordering more smaller jets because passengers prefer flexibility in travel options. This actually validates the strategy Boeing pursued in developing the smaller, composite 787 wide-body when Airbus launched the A380.
Of course, Boeing then initiated the 747-8 program, and Airbus chased the smaller wide-body market with its composite A350.
While Boeing has racked up orders for more than 800 787s, the bigger, older 777 has been the biggest winner recently, with net orders for 202 in 2011 and 16 so far this year.
Boeing has delivered 20 747-8 Freighters and seven Intercontinentals.
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