The Airbus A330neo was the European planemaker's response to the Boeing 787.
First revealed at the 2014 Farnborough Airshow,
the Airbus widebody aircraft has been gaining ground within the industry,
but how does it compare with its American widebody competitor? Let’s find out in today’s video!
First to fly the A330neo was TAP Portugal at the end of 2018.
Since then, a further 13 airlines and leasing firms have taken delivery of the type.
Overall, it's been a great success and is popular with its operators and passengers alike.
However, the A330neo is a legacy aircraft. Based on the A330ceo - or current engine option,
it boasts some significant improvements over its predecessor,
but is essentially still based on a 30-year-old airframe design.
In contrast, the Boeing 787 is a brand new airplane. As a type, it has only been flying
for just over a decade, and is a clean sheet new design that takes advantage of
all the modern technologies available to aviation today. Does that mean it's a better airplane?
There are several variants of both the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A330neo.
Specifically, for the Boeing 787, there are the -8, -9, and
-10. On the Airbus side, it comes in just two flavors - the -800 and the -900.
The -900 is by far the bestselling of the A330,
while the 787-9 is the most popular of the Boeings, although the -8 is not far behind.
For the purposes of comparison, it is these two most popular variants we shall compare today.
To define which is better, we will consider which performs better from an
airline's point of view, rather than the passengers. Airlines have the freedom to
install a range of cabin products and to work to different specifications,
so comparing seat architecture or comfort is not a fair measure!
First, let’s compare the two aircraft and their specifications
side by side, and see where the similarities and differences lie.
As you can see by this chart, on the surface,
these are two very similar airplanes, with very similar specifications.
While the Airbus has slightly more passenger capacity, thanks to its slightly superior length,
the Boeing 787 has a more generous belly for cargo, and a greater range overall.
With the basics presented,
let's dive further into some of these issues to determine which is the better airplane.
Airlines are keen to get as many passengers on board as possible.
Although the Boeing's slightly wider cabin might be something of a crowd-pleaser in terms of
options for business class seats, its shorter length means fewer rows will be available.
In an all-economy configuration, the Airbus simply has more space,
something Philippine airline Cebu Pacific will really put to the
test with its own 459-seat version, delivered at the end of last year.
As mentioned, the 787 has a wider cabin overall. While this might mean slightly
wider seats for economy passengers, more choice of business class configuration,
or simply a wider aisle for easier service, it doesn't make a huge difference overall.
What does make a difference, however, is its additional cargo capacity-
a factor that has become increasingly important for airlines these days!
At present, rates for international air freight are at an all-time high.
According to Air Cargo News, in April the average rate from Hong Kong to North
America reached $9.57 per kg, which is 12.9% up compared to a year earlier. From Hong Kong to
Europe average rates in April stood at $6.01 per kg, which is up 30.4% compared with last year.
This is where it gets exciting, because the Boeing 787 is 80% composite materials,
while the A330neo has only a 14% composite composition. As such, the Dreamliner is a
lighter aircraft, something that is reflected in its additional range capabilities over the Airbus,
despite having a smaller fuel capacity.
However, Airbus highlights the incorporation of the latest-generation Rolls-Royce Trent
7000 engines. It also promotes other aerodynamic improvements
such as its famed Sharklet wingtip devices that provide
four meters of increased wingspan, along with increased lift and reduced drag.
These factors help the jet provide efficiency and generate savings through reduced fuel burn.
The range of the 787-9 broke ground when it was introduced in September 2013. The
abilities of the jet created a buzz over the years after its entry into service.
Before the Airbus A350-900ULR conducted the direct route between Singapore and Newark,
the world’s longest route, the 787-9 had already made a name for itself.
Qantas had implemented the jet on its longest route,
which was the only nonstop service from Australia to the United Kingdom between Perth and London.
The 787-9 Dreamliner performed several other groundbreaking long-distance flights over the
years. However, a recent yet notable long-range operation with the 787-9
was Air Tahiti Nui’s 16-hour nonstop flight between Tahiti and Paris.
This was the world's longest domestic flight at the time.
Airbus has always prided itself on trying to outdo Boeing on price. However, it looks
like in this scenario, Airbus is unable to beat the production line already set up by Boeing.
The list prices as of 2018 showed that the Airbus A330-900 was $296.4 million
while the Boeing 787-9 came in at $281.6 million.
Pandemic, war, supply chain issues, and overall inflation likely mean both prices
have gone up but we’re mostly interested in the comparison between the two jets.
Boeing's Dreamliner has been around for a fair bit longer than the A330neo.
The type entered service in October 2011 with Jpaan’s A.N.A.. The Airbus A330neo
on the other hand didn't begin operations until December 2018, some seven years later.
As such, it's unsurprising that the Dreamliner has achieved far greater
things in terms of its orders and deliveries than the Airbus.
In total, the 787-9 has received 887 total
orders, 568 of which have been delivered, leaving a backlog of 479 planes. As an
overall program including other variants, there have been 1,485 orders and 1,006 deliveries.
The A330-900 has received 262 orders, of which 70 aircraft have been delivered, leaving a backlog
of 192. As a program, total orders including the -800 aren’t much better. Indeed, this is just 273
- with only 11 orders for the smaller A330-800. At present, 74 airplanes have been delivered.
On paper, the 787 seems by far and away the most successful airliner.
However, it would be amiss to compare the two without mentioning the challenges
Boeing has faced with the Dreamliner program over the past couple of years!
In the shadow of the 737 MAX grounding, the FAA began inspecting Boeing's other manufacturing
processes. This led to the discovery of various flaws with the Dreamliner,
causing deliveries to halt in May 2021.
A resumption earlier this year was short-lived, as new findings forced the planemaker to pause things
again. The FAA is intending to personally inspect each aircraft before it is released to a customer,
and Boeing is not anticipating delivery resumption until the second half of 2022.
While these issues don't make the 787 any less of a great airplane,
they could shake future confidence in the type and could tip airlines over to the European
option. Nevertheless, at present, the Airbus is lagging behind on the demand side.
The most important measure of an airplane's success is undoubtedly its airline customers.
According to a statement seen by Simple Flying, Antonoaldo Neves, former TAP Air Portugal chief
executive officer, said the following about the A330-900 when taking on the aircraft:
“[The A330-900 offers] unbeatable economics, and efficiency will power our business forward.
The A330neo will give us a lot of operational flexibility
thanks to its commonality with the other Airbus aircraft in our fleet."
According to another statement seen by Simple Flying, Yutaka Ito, EVP of ANA and ANA HD, said
the following about the Dreamliner when confirming an order for more 787-9 and 787-10 planes,
"Boeing's 787s have served ANA with distinction, and we are proud to expand our fleet by adding
more of these technologically advanced aircraft. These planes represent a significant step forward
for ANA as we work to make our entire fleet more eco-friendly and to reduce noise output."
It’s worth mentioning that early 787 battery issues and problems with Rolls-Royce Trent
1000 engines powering the Dreamliner would have undoubtedly been a headache
for airlines operating affected models, it would seem that many carriers are
happy with their subsequent purchases as these issues have been worked out.
Ultimately, both types are very popular with the airlines that choose them,
and both deliver a more fuel-efficient,
quieter and more cost-effective option than the planes they were designed to replace.
The notion of a 'better' plane is somewhat subjective,
and even from an airline's point of view, there are other factors to consider.
Airbus planes have commonality across the types,
so it's easy for a pilot to switch between the A350 and A330, for instance.
Depending on their type rating,
they may also be able to slide between the widebody and narrowbody families with ease.
Commonality can also bring with it reduced maintenance costs and easier provision of spares.
This has long been one of Airbus' biggest selling points.
Nevertheless, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was a clean-sheet design. It does not grandfather any
of its technology from any other airplane, and its creation from the ground up has
allowed it to employ the most modern materials and technologies in all aspects of its construction.
By the measures we have considered here, it is proven on paper to have the edge over the Airbus.
Do you agree with our assessment? How has your experience of flying both planes been
over the years? Let us know what your thoughts are on the two jets by leaving a comment!