Airbus A380 vs Boeing 747: Difference and Comparison

Air transport services are provided by the airline for travelling passengers. Aircraft are used by airlines to supply this kind of service.

They might also form alliances or partnerships with other airlines for agreements of codeshare in which they operate and offer the same flight.  

Over the world, most of the popular services of airliners are manufactured by Airbus and Boeing. Apart it can be difficult to tell its models and manufacturers.

This article mainly focuses on differentiating between Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 to clear up the confusion. 

Key Takeaways

1. Airbus A380 is a double-decker aircraft, while Boeing 747 has a partial second deck.
2. A380 seats more passengers than the 747, catering to high-density routes.
3. Boeing 747 has a longer range, making it suitable for longer, non-stop flights.

Airbus A380 vs Boeing 747 

The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, four-engine jetliner that can carry up to 853 passengers and has a longer wingspan and a wider cabin. The Boeing 747 is a four-engine, wide-body aircraft that can carry up to 660 passengers and has a longer overall length and a higher cruising speed.

The Airbus A380 is a widebody, four-engine, and double-deck jet airliner. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Many of the airports have updated their facilities to accommodate A380 because of its size.

The upper deck extends along the fuselage’s entire length, with a widebody aircraft equivalent width. 

The Boeing 747 is a long-range and large widebody airliner made in the United States by Boeing commercial Aeroplanes.

In October 1958, after introducing the 707, Pan Am wanted to democratize air travel by reducing its seat cost by 30%. Joe Suffer left the development program of 737 in 1965 to design the 747. 

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Airbus A380	Boeing 747
National origin	Multi-national	United States
Introduction	25 October 2007	22 January 1970
Fuel capacity	323, 546 liters	238, 610 liters
Wingspan	15m longer than that of Boeing 747	Smaller than Airbus A380
Weight (when empty)	50% heavier than the Boeing 747	Lighter than Airbus A380

What is Airbus A380?  

In the early 1990s, Airbus began a study on the possibility of a jet development with a capacity of passengers over 500. Until 1994, design and engineering did not begin when the plane was called the A3XX.

Airbus considered twin-tailfin and widebody design but instead adopted the double deck design.  

Eventually, the plane failed to keep the numeric sequence that was usual for other Airbus planes and was designated as A380. The first orders of Airbus A380 came in 2000, and Airbus began laying the manufacturing of the huge plane infrastructure.

This consists of factories and hangars in Wales, England, France, Spain, and Germany.  

Not every airport can handle the enormous bulk of A380, but the problem is not related to runways. According to extensive testing, the plane weight would not cause on runways too much extra stress. It uses more landing wheels in comparison to other large jets.  

The first flight of the A380 was to America in March 2007. In New York City to the onlookers’ cheers landed with loaded employees. The same day a second empty plane landed in Los Angeles.

These flights demonstrated both the ability of the airport to accommodate and readiness.  

What is Boeing 747?  

The Boeing 747 is a widebody cargo transport aircraft and commercial airliner which is considered by its original nickname, Queen of the Skies or Jumbo Jet.

Across the world, it is the most recognizable aircraft and the first widebody ever produced.  

It was manufactured by the commercial aeroplane unit by Boeing. The original version of the 747, it was in a capacity of two and a half more than the Boeing 747. It was one of the common larger commercial aircraft in the 1960s.  

In 1970, it was first flown commercially by holding the passenger capacity record for 37 years. Its four-engine uses a double-deck configuration for its length part. It is available in a freighter, passenger other versions.

It designed the hump-like upper deck for serving as extra sitting or a first-class lounge. 

The upper deck also allows the aircraft to be converted to a cargo carrier easily by removing seats and also installing a door for front cargo. It was done to expect airliners of supersonic to render the 747 and other airliners of subsonic obsolete. 

Main Differences Between Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 

1. The primary users of Airbus A380 are Qantas, Emirates, British Airways, and Singapore Airlines. On the other hand, Boeing 747SP, Boeing E- 4, Boeing 747- 400, Boeing VC- 25, and Boeing 747- 8 are the primary users of Boeing 747.  
2. When it comes to exterior dimensions, Airbus A380 has a length of 72.72m, cabin width is 6.5m, and 24.09m is A380’s height. Conversely, Boeing 747 has a length of 76.3m, cabin width is 6.1m, and 19.4m is 747’s height.  
3. In terms of passenger capacity, the Airbus A380 could theoretically transport 868 passengers. On the flip side, Boeing 747 would be able to transport a maximum of 605 passengers.  
4. Aircraft engineers have recently realized that higher humidity levels are important for overall passenger comfort. The Airbus A380 is far more tolerable compared to the Boeing 747 regarding cabin humidity levels.  
5. Due to a combination of better insulation and a quiet engine, the Airbus A380 is the quieter aircraft by far. In contrast, Boeing 747 is a very loud aeroplane from inside or out. 

References

1. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=KcaYjPhRnWUC&oi=fnd&pg=PA6&dq=airbus+a380&ots=rntc40Y1e8&sig=Q1bZPlT9kTgQ1daEllDLI4MEMa4
2. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/1024489/