Airbus vs. Boeing 747 - What's the difference?
 

Hi everyone.

We are headed to London this summer enroute to Portugal. We are getting ready to book our flights.

I'm a nervous nelly when it comes to flying -- I do not enjoy it at all. In fact you could say that I fear it.

My husband travels all the time for business. He falls asleep the moment he gets on the plane and never worries. He generally pats me on the head and tells me to do the same. I hold my breath until we land.

The dilemma is that I have a choice between the Airbus and a Boeing 747. I'm pretty sure I've been on an Airbus before, but have mainly flown on Boeing equipment. My husband can't tell me what the difference is because he dosen't pay attention to those kinds of things - he doesn't care. I'm afraid I do.

Is there a difference between the two types of planes for a trip 'across the pond' -- does anyone have a preference?

Thank you.

Hi see,

Go to www.seatguru.com

You will see what the seating arrangements are and what's good and not good about the passenger arrangements.

I am assuming that you are not interested in the technical specifications.

((I))
Are you sure it's a 747 and not a 777?

PS,

>He falls asleep the moment he gets on the plane and never worries.<

A very good idea.

Have you considered ordering 3 martinis?

Hi Ira. Actually alcohol is not a good idea, it makes me airsick :(

Um, somehow I've got it stuck in my head that there are safety issues with the Airbus. I don't want to be frightened out of this trip, so I didn't state it. But that's really what's on my mind.

BTW Ira, thanks for that site. Yes it's a 747.

Umm...Airbus is a company, not a plane. There are a number of different Airbus planes, the 320, 330, etc. I think the safety issues were about the 300 or 310, but I might be wrong (I mudt admit, I don't follow airline news all that closely).

Either is perfectly safe. If Airbus had some issue with one of their designs, the FAA would ground the plane until it was corrected. Choose the one that offers the most comfort to you.

Wouldn't be too concerned about the aircraft, as they are all a long tube with lots of boredom in them.

I'd check the airline out to see how they relieve the tedium & book accordingly (assuming you want quality of experience rather than cheapest flight)

The main difference is that the Airbus design interposes computers between the pilot and the aircraft control surfaces.

Take the three martinis and relax.

One thing I like about the Airbus aircrafts are that there are two seats on the side and I believe three in the middle. That way you and your husband can sit together without having a third person there. Of course, no matter where you sit in coach it'll be a pain.

seetheworld, I travel across the pond every month and I am STILL a nervous Nelly :>(

IMHO, the 747 is the most divine aircraft ever made. They are a little on the old side now.

I am assuming you may be flying one of the Airbus 330/340s. They are very comfortable aircraft, new and reliable. The Airbus problem you are refering to was a 310/320 that crashed in NY; I believe it was a maintenance issue.

If you are nervous, chose the airline based on safety record, not aircraft type.

BTW, I find, as Robespierre suggest, that a few drinks does wonders for me!

Good luck Ger

It's a common misconception that the seating pattern is determined by the type of aircraft. No, it's the airline that tells Boeing or Airbus whether they want 3-3-3 or 2-5-2 or some permutation on the seating plan. And they change over time - for example American Airlines took rows out and sold their flights as offering "more room throughout coach." When the beancounters determined that they'd fill more seats - albeit with more unhappy knees - by putting those rows back in, they did so, a curse be on their seed.

In general Airbus' airplanes have slightly wider fuselages than Boeing's (for comparably-sized planes) so an Airbus 330 or 340 MIGHT give you an extra half inch of seat width in an 8-abreast row. Or the airline may have told them they wanted wider aisles, so no extra buttage. Depends. Use seatguru.com.

Check seating configurations at sweatguru.com; they are, as Gardyloo has pointed out, totally determined by the individual airline company, not the maufacturer.

We will not discuss the differences in technology between the 747 which has been called one of the safest aircraft every built to the Airbus Industrie equipment.

Take a chill pill and for once, fall asleep before your husband does...he, you, and everybody here will thank you for it.

sorry..too many chill pills here..that's seatguru.com


and another suggestion..get old "pats me on the head [like a pet????" to spring for two FIRST CLASS seats.

No need to worry about whether it's a Boeing or Airbus product. Most accidents and incidents are caused by human error. Factors like the airline's maintenance standards and crew training are paramount.

In the air you won't know the difference between a Boeing and an Airbus. But the most pleasant plane I ever flew on was the Lockheed L-1011 Tri Star. It was like a magic carpet ride.

Thank you for the feedback.

Let's just clear something up from the start Intrepid :), the pat on the head is to say "Don't worry, it'll be fine" and a first class ticket wouldn't make a difference. I've always been a reluctant flyer -- more so over the last year. Thanks ORielly for admitting to being a nervous nelly also :)

I can certainly understand how for some, it might not matter which equipment to fly. I see it all the time with my husband. The TA at the office books his flight and he just goes.

I usually don't book our vacation tickets, but at the moment, it's my job. I'm faced with information that I never thought (knew) about before (and recalling bits and pieces of information). It is probably a bad idea for me to be the one booking our tickets -- oh well.

Thank you for making the point about how it's the airline's decision in configuring the seats -- I did not know that.

Now where can I find me a magic carpet, preferably with rainbow colors? ;)

There are various models of Airbuses that airlines use across the Atlantic. Most use the newer A330 and A340, but some use the older A310. All three models share the same fuselage width, and except for Canada's Air Transat and Europe's Thomas Cook, all use a 2-4-2 seating layout in coach.

Until the commencement of A380 service later this year, the B747 (most airline use the -400 model) is hte largest commercial airliner. In coach, basically all airlines use a 3-4-3 seating.

If you compare the two coach configuration, most will prefer the airbuses. There're more "bad" seats on a 747 than an Airbus, and the average seat width is slightly narrower in a 10-abreast 747 compared to a 8-abreast Airbus.

In general, you'll find more overhead luggage space per passenger on a A330/340 than a 747 (except for the very new 747 deliveries - like those to China Airlines, which don't fly US-Europe).

The 747, being an older design, is also noisier than an A330 or A340, though probably about same as an A310.

Seat pitch and entertainment will depend on airline, so can't compare that.

---

Well, that's for coach. But many people flying business or first class prefer the 747. First, there's the upper deck. [A few airlines do put coach seats up there, but very rare.] It's quiet, it's exclusive, and until the A380, it's the only way you can fly on an upper deck.

And even on the main cabin, it's very quiet near the front of a 747. And many people love the spacious feel of the plane - it has a much larger fuselage than an Airbus afterall.

But again, the actual feature and comfort will depend on the airline. So, if you have specific flights in mind, let us know and we can comment on it. And make sure you tell us what class you're flying. Makes a big difference.

Seetheworld
You might have read the article about safety on the Airbus aircraft but they have some positive feedbacks. If I remember that it was saying it has a better safety record than the 747 aircraft.

Both aircraft are good planes, so it's going to be a good flight. I spent 35 years building aircraft and I haven't any problem in Airbus or Boeing planes.

Blackduff

I HAVE WORKED ON AIRBUSES FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND FROM A SAFTEY POINT OF VIEW AIRBUS IS A VERY RELIABLE AIRCRAFT.747 ALSO HAS A PROVEN RECORD. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN YOUR CASE SHOULD BE THE NUMBER OF ENGINES ON EACH AIRCRAFT. 747 HAS 4 A330 HAS 2 A340 HAS 4. MORE IS BETTER WHEN GOING ACROSS THE POND.

To seetheworld---

I think many of us are a bit nervous about flying. I deal with it by taking control of choosing the airline and the flights. Then I can also pick the most direct route, best flight times (i.e., no 6 am departures), etc. I much prefer that to handing it all to a travel agent (or to Hotwire!)

You can't just compare the service history record of the 747 and the 330/340. The 747 first flew in around 1969 and there are over 1,300 delivered so far. Engine technology, navigation aids, airline practice, weather forecast, etc have changed so much in 38 years.

Most accidents involving the 747s are of the earlier -100 and -200 models, and many are old aircrafts.

If one really have to compare, then please limit the comparison to 747-400 models (first flown 1989, about 700 delivered) to the A330 and A340 (first flights 1991-2, total delivered also about 700). The accident rates are so low on all these new planes there's really no point in comparing the numbers. And basically all accidents involving these planes are due to human errors and/or weather, and not because of the planes themselves.

My mom is really uncomfortable with flying.

I would say that our last flight (I did start my trip report but have yet to finish it) did not help her, as we flew Delta. Although the strike issues were held off during our trip, it was just one more point of stress.

I would also vote for picking an airline that you feel comfortable with their track record. My brother recently had great luck with KLM, for example.

But at some point you will add stress if you are too indecisive about it, trying to get the "perfect" airline or flight.

Commercial airplane travel is safe! If personal safety is concern, why do you continue to ride and drive in an automobile? 125 Americans lose their lives every day in USA automobile accidents.

I remember stats which say it's more dangerous taking your car to the airport than taking the flight on the airplane.

Blackduff

seetheworld
When you book your tickets, it miight be useful to ask the airline if they have any programs which offer help and support for the many people who are nervous and fearful about flying.

I can't sleep on a plane so I like to have my own television monitor in coach. Most Boeing 777's and 747's have this and most A340's and A330's have this. But check seatguru for confirmation.

Avoid the Boeing 767's (especially Delta) because the screen is in the front of the cabin and if you're in the back, you will never see it. And those $5.00 drinks on U.S. airlines can be a bit much if you drink. And Continental's 757 going across the pond is kind of a joke, too.

seethworld - I used to be like you. It got so bad that at one stage I mentally spoke to the plane and told it to "stop bumping around"!
Oneday I met one of the pilots waiting for a package off the carousel and remarked on the bumpy flight. He was so kind and patiently described what the air currents do when they cause turbulance. He said it's just like a car on a bumpy road, so don't worry too much.
I have to disagree with you about booking business or first class seats.
You definitely don't feel the planes movements like you do somewhere near the back end. If I can't travel Business class - I don't go.

Thank you all very much! :)

Tony5, I don't know who you are, but information like that is helpful to someone like me. Thanks.

Not only do I now know the difference between the Airbus and Boeing equipment, I also know what to look for in order to make it a relatively comfortable flight.

I'm checking into the Premium Economy seats. Is this something that only Virgin Atlantic offers?

Tod, I once spoke with our pilot on a flight out of SFO (he was buying a pack of gum). I guess the anxiety on my face showed, he was very reassuring. Nice guy.

Concrete information is the best way to reduce fear. I can make an informed choice, knowing I can only control so much.

Last winter, while driving to the airport on black ice, I was very relieved to be on the plane! The flight was a lot less nerve-racking than the drive, lol.

Thanks again.

Across the Atlantic, Virgin, BA and SAS offer a premium economy service.

Air NewZealand is also converting their planes, but they only fly LAX-LHR, and NZ's premium economy doesn't offer extra width.

United also has a "Economy +" product which is just economy with extra legroom. you can get those if you're UA Premier or if pay an annual fee of $399 which can move you and a companion to those seats even without status.

seetheworld, I don't have any information on the planes that you haven't already gotten, but if you are that nervous have you considered asking your doctor about Ambien or another prescription sleeping pill? I have a hard time sleeping on planes, and I too get airsick very easily. I call my doctor and explain my situation, and he calls in a prescription for just enough Ambien pills to get me through the flights. They work wonders...I sleep almost the whole way over, and I arrive refreshed, not jetlagged in the least, and I can actually stay awake the whole first day of the trip. Just something to consider.

Good luck!
Tracy

Have to concur with the wonders of Ambien if you have already tried the "regular" Dramamine.

I don't get airsick, but don't enjoy flying particularly-a couple of Dramamine 45 minutes before the flight make me just sleepy enough to not care, yet feel like if there was an emergency I could sure still respond. Works better for me that drinking (coupled with air system dries me out) or valium. Weird but true.

As to plane models, they all are safe-I'd go for the comfort. I hate getting stuck in the middle of the "5 seat" row! Never again!