Should Qantas have bought the Airbus A350 instead of the Boeing 787?
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Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Should Qantas have bought the Airbus A350 instead of the Boeing 787?
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Should Qantas have bought the Airbus A350 instead of the Boeing 787?
StudiodeKadent
StudiodeKadent
Member since 20 May 2015
Total posts 109
That's an overstatement. At armrest level the A350 is only about 3 inches wider than the 787 and can only reach 18" seat width because the armrests are slimmed to 1.5" (rather than the 2" used in the 787). The A350 does have a lot more shoulder space for those sitting in window seats though, I concede.
In addition, do remember that the 787-9 provides Qantas with an A330 replacement. The A350 is a great jet but its more of a 777 replacement than anything else. QF operated 747s and A330s... the 787-9 can replace A330s on a more-or-less 1-to-1 basis, whereas the A350 would've been too big to do so. Both jets can replace the 747s by adding frequencies, however the 787-9 could replace smaller jets more easily.
The 787-10 is roughly the size of an A350-900 or 777-200. Qantas doesn't have too many routes which need that capacity; their "big" routes within the -10's range (say, SYD to HND or HKG) require larger than that size of jet, whilst their thinner routes need a smaller jet.
StudiodeKadent
StudiodeKadent
Member since 20 May 2015
Total posts 109
I know this is a double post but I've done a bit of an analysis. The A350's claims of such incredible seat width are... well not entirely deceptive but overstated.
Calculating the "seating envelope" (aisles + armrests + seat pans) makes it clear that at the armrest level, the A350 only gives 1.4" extra space relative to the 787. The "five additional inches" the A350's specs promise actually are more around the shoulder region. So yeah, it is more comfortable to fly in (particularly at the window seat) but the way this comfort is represented, particularly as a function of seat width, is overstated and also a touch deceptive (in that the additional width is mostly shoulder room and only modestly contributes to seat widths). The A350 slims the armrests by 0.5" in order to get to 18" width.
So how does this contribute to the debate? Only in the sense that the comfort promised by Airbus is an overstatement. The gain, whilst real, is marginal. Does a marginal increase in the comfort of Economy pax justify the A350 versus the highly favorable 787 acquisition terms? I don't think so.
AusFlyer
AusFlyer
Member since 10 Mar 2011
Total posts 137
Why? I've been on both and they are much the same....
John Phelan
John Phelan
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 28 Oct 2011
Total posts 261
Many passengers will probably prefer the A350; Airbus seems to design for passengers. Many pilots will probably prefer the 787; Boeing seems to design for pilots/airlines.