A380 In Single Class

Air Austral, the airline based in Saint Denis, La Reunion, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus for the purchase of two A380s in a single-class configuration. In such a configuration, the A380 will offer unprecedented level of fuel economy, further emphasising the eco-efficient nature of the aircraft.

In a single-class configuration the aircraft will seat around 840 passengers in the widest economy class seats and the service proven quietest cabin in the sky. Air Austral plans to operate the A380 through one of its subsidiaries on its high-density route from La Reunion to Paris, France. No engine choice has been made at this stage.

“Our vision is to provide a low cost-high quality service on the heavy traffic route between La Reunion and Paris and the A380 allows us to make this vision a reality,” said Gerard Etheve, President of Air Austral. “The A380 has the lowest cost per seat and is the most environment-friendly aircraft flying today while at the same time providing a high level of passenger comfort. This will enable Air Austral to better connect La Reunion to France at a lower fare”, he added.
John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers, added: “Air Austral ‘s selection shows the potential of the A380 in the market of today and tomorrow. The real benefits of “doing more with less” now is a reality offered to the market and we congratulate Air Austral on making their vision into a real strategy for this important market segment”.

Being greener, cleaner, quieter and smarter, the A380 is already setting new standards for air transport and the environment. In addition to offering unequalled levels of passenger comfort, space and quietness in the cabin, the A380 has unmatched levels of operating cost and fuel efficiency, consuming with 840 passengers less than two liters per passenger per 100 kilometers.
The A380 not only complies with today’s noise limits, it is also significantly quieter than any other large aircraft flying today. With a range of 8 200 nm / 15 200 km, the A380 is the ideal equipment to alleviate traffic congestion at busy airports, while coping with growth. Firm orders for the aircraft stand at 198 from 16 customers.

Airbus is an EADS Company

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

US plane manufacturer Boeing has unveiled its 787 Dreamliner - the firm's first all-new jet since 1995. It is the only big commercial aircraft made mostly of carbon fibre rather than aluminium and is billed as the most environmentally friendly ever built. Boeing says the 787 is much more fuel efficient than its competitors and produces 20% less CO2.The firm says it already has more than 600 orders. The first test flight is expected in August or September. Sunday was chosen for Dreamliner's premiere as it is 8 July, or, in the American date style, 07/08/07.

Compare Boeing and Airbus planes

An audience of thousands were in attendance in Everett, Washington state near Seattle as the aircraft was presented to the media. "Our journey began some six years ago when we knew we were on the cusp of delivering valuable new technologies," Mike Bair, who heads the 787 programme, told the crowd.

Competition
Hours earlier, Boeing said it had received 35 new orders for the plane.
The orders, from Air Berlin and a Kuwaiti leasing firm, mean Boeing now has 677 orders from 47 customers for the midsize, long-haul jet. It is due to go into service next year, with Japan's All Nippon Airways set to be the first recipient as a reward for placing orders for 50 of the aircraft.
Carbon fibre, which is lighter and more durable than aluminium, makes up about 50% of the plane's structure, including the fuselage and wings.This is intended to make the 787 fuel efficient. Boeing says the composite materials also mean air in the cabin can be more humid, leaving long-haul passengers less jetlagged.

Envrionment
Phil Clapp, president of the National Environmental Trust, a non-partisan US group, told the BBC that the 787 was a "major step forward" but not the sole solution to aviation emissions. Some environmentalists say the lower operating costs will make air travel cheaper and simply encourage more people to fly.

The Dreamliner is Boeing's first all-new plane since the 777, which began flying in 1995.
It is crucial to Boeing's success, just as Airbus is pinning its hopes for the future on its forthcoming A380. However, the two are very different planes with different aims.
The European firm sees its superjumbo plane as a response to airline calls for a bigger plane to meet increasing passenger numbers flying between major hubs.

Smaller planes

Boeing is taking a different tack, predicting that the future growth sector will be for additional medium-sized planes that can service smaller airports. Airbus is currently developing the A350, which is more of a direct rival to the 787, but it is not expected to roll out the plane until about 2011. Boeing received a boost at the Paris air show with an order for 50 of the aircraft from ILFC. Orders from plane-leasing companies - among the biggest global buyers of aircraft - are often seen as an indication of how a model will succeed in the long term. Assembly of the first Dreamliner began in May, although Boeing says that when full operation is under way, it will take just three days to put together each aircraft in final assembly