Which is better "Boeing" or "Airbus"? Tips for air travelers

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

The alternative is definitely a useful thing. However, in some cases it is confusing. Today we will talk about aircraft, or rather, about their most famous manufacturers and their main competitors, such as Boeing and Airbus. You can consider and try to compare these two machines from different points of view: economic, industrial, technical, innovative, even historical. However, for many travelers (and especially for those who have little or no experience of flights), the interest in this topic is banal curiosity. So which is better: Boeing or Airbus, how did it happen that there are two main players in the aircraft manufacturing market in the world, and how does Boeing differ from Airbus?

A trip to history

Questions of competition between these global aircraft manufacturing giants take us back to the 90s of the last century. The fact is that before this period there were a large number of aircraft factories in the world. Many of them were located in the USA (for example, the legendary McDonnell Douglas or the not so famous Convair), others - in Europe (British Aerospace,Fokker, etc.) What can we say, the Soviet Union was a significant player, famous for its design bureaus of Antonov, Tupolev, Yakovlev, etc. But soon the situation turned around. The USSR has sunk into oblivion, which led to the complete collapse of the economy and industry of the once powerful and harsh country. Despite the fact that the production of aircraft An, Tu, Yak and others continued, the volume of exports decreased significantly as a result of a severe crisis. In the same years, European manufacturers are also going through hard times, which simply left the market as a result of a serious drop in demand. On this basis, Airbus was created as an association of European aircraft manufacturers into a single consortium. The Americans, too, could not compete in the face of reduced demand, and only two major players remained in their market: Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. By the way, the latter turned out to be weaker: Boeing simply bought it out and made it part of its company. Over time, these companies (Boeing and Airbus) only strengthened their positions, which allowed them to eliminate almost all competitors.

Who else?

But the main question still remains - which is better: "Boeing" or "Airbus"? Tough competition is very useful, as it allows you to constantly be in good shape and improve the quality of your product. And Airbus and Boeing really go head to head. Judge for yourself: from 2005 to 2016, Americans (Boeing) received 11,024 orders and sold 6,406 aircraft, and Europeans (Airbus) - 11,830 ordersand 6456 aircraft. That is, the victory in this case formally belongs to the second, but it is so insignificant that it is not worth talking about. At the same time, the parties constantly accuse each other of unfair competition, of receiving excessive subsidies from states and, of course, of artificially lowering prices. Innovative solutions and trying to get ahead of the competition is a long-standing strategy for every company in an attempt to conquer the market once and for all. Let's try to compare the characteristics of these winged machines and passenger reviews to understand which is better: Boeing or Airbus.

Specifications (in plain language)

Of course, we will not dive headlong into this issue and get confused in complex terms and incomprehensible figures. On the forums of travelers or aviation enthusiasts, you can often see a question in the spirit: “Which is better, Boeing-737 or Airbus-320?”. Despite the fact that the line of both manufacturers is much wider, these two models are the most famous among the inhabitants.

In addition to technical characteristics, the planes differ even in appearance. So, the "European" is taller than its competitor, it has a rounded nose, not a sharp, even tail, and round, not oval, engines. At the same time, many aviation enthusiasts believe that Boeings are still more beautiful and majestic, but here, as they say, the taste and color.

Airbus is the undisputed leader in terms of the number of seats: 600-700 versus 500 forBoeing. At the same time, the Boeing is 3 meters longer. By the way, Airbus set a record - the world's largest double-deck aircraft for 850 passengers. There is a duty free shop, a restaurant and even a shower! When it comes to distances, Boeing wins here. There is even nothing to say here, transatlantic flights are mostly serviced by aircraft of this company. On the other hand, Airbuses have a larger wingspan, which allows them to win in terms of speed, however, quite a bit.

Safety

Anyone who wonders which aircraft is better: Boeing or Airbus, first of all, has in mind safety. But here it is impossible to give a definite answer. For example, Airbus is 2 times less likely to have accidents, but Boeing has been seen in fewer plane crashes and ranks first in the ranking of the safest aircraft in the world. The Boeings also have a more thoughtful system of emergency exits: they are conveniently located and cannot be opened at high altitude during the flight. But the Airbus also has some advantage: the aircraft has a very reliable control system, and therefore the possibility of switching the airliner to a fully manual mode is excluded. In any case, both companies care about the safety of their product and arguing about which is better: Boeing or Airbus in terms of safety is somewhat incorrect and to some extent even pointless.

Comfort in economy class

Finally, comfort. This is the second most important item after safety for all passengers. Here it is worth considering both aircraft from two points of view: economy class and business class.

Which plane is better: "Boeing" or "Airbus-320", if you fly in economy? The answer is none. In fact, both are good. Indeed, there are no obvious differences between the two giants of the aircraft industry when it comes to the economy class cabin. And there, and there is enough legroom. Both there and there, great attention is paid to service and maintenance, food quality and cleanliness.

Business class comfort

What if you fly in business class? Which is better: Airbus or Boeing 737 in this case? Airbus definitely wins here. Compare: The Boeing of the German airline Lufthansa in business class is equipped with a wide and comfortable seat that can be lowered to a lying position, as well as a small personal locker where you can put something. At the same time, the Airbus at Emirates is much richer and bigger: in addition to the usual wide seat-sofa and wardrobe, you can order private apartments, one of the two lounges, as well as a small spa center with a shower! In addition, each bed is separated from the aisles and neighbors by sliding "walls", which allows you to create additional comfort and privacy.

Conclusion

Thus, answering the question of which is better: "Airbus-A320" or "Boeing-737", it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer. Professionals who give their alltheir lives studying aviation and aircraft construction, may try to draw parallels between every single detail of the liners. You can also make many arguments in terms of safety and comfort, but all of them will eventually equalize the score of these two largest aircraft manufacturers in the world. It is much easier to try both planes yourself and decide for yourself which one is better.