
Boeing's biggest jet takes flight, promises lowest 'seat mile' cost... - hoag
http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/22/boeings-biggest-jet-takes-flight-promises-lowest-seat-mile-c/
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hoag
My reflex reaction to this article -- aside from commenting on Boeing's
awesome new HN-themed color scheme -- is that the new Airbus A380-800 now has
a genuine competitor at last.

Thing is though -- engineering marvels of these flying wonders aside -- the
demand for high-pax airborne people haulers has been rapidly shrinking in
recent years. Especially with new ETOPS-certified smaller, narrow-body,
2-engine aircraft, the demand for such massive capacity aircraft simply isn't
what it used to be. There are already a few flights across the Atlantic using
757s, and you can be sure to see more in the next 5-10 years using ETOPs 737
and A32X aircraft.

To wit, the 747-8 has sold nowhere _near_ expected projections, while the now
comically-delayed 787 has broken all sales records in industry history, pre-
order or otherwise.

