Is bigger always better?
Is bigger better?
Oh, OK. Yeah, sometimes. But what about in the airline industry?
We now have bigger airports, longer lines, heavier baggage (mental and carry-on), heftier flight attendants and, yes, bigger airplanes. Of course, there has long been a steady increase in airplane size and capacity: Boeing’s 737 begat the 747, Airbus’s A320 begat the A340 and so on. But now take the world’s biggest passenger airplane and double it. Right now, the capacity on the biggest airplanes is roughly 300 to 400 passengers; the next generation of aircraft, which is almost here, has a potential passenger load of 600 to 800. Is that a good thing or an aggravation?
The current big boy is the Airbus A380, a double-decker plane 239 feet long, with enough floor space to accommodate such installations as a casino, a nursery, a duty-free shop or a gymnasium and still seat 555 passengers. The A380s have completed their test flights and are ready to roll off the line. No American carriers currently have the plane on order, but Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and Virgin Atlantic Airways are all waiting in line for delivery.
Airbus claims that the bigger size means bigger environmental benefits. By transporting more people, the plane’s lower fuel burn per passenger will make it more environmentally friendly, reduce congestion and (eventually) save the airlines money. In fact, Airbus calls the A380 the “Green Giant” and boasts that the airplane is more fuel-efficient than a small car. While I think its numbers are based on unrealistic passenger loads and its fuel logic is a bit fuzzy, there are some definite advantages to the big plane.
* The A380 generates approximately half the noise of a 747.
* Its standard economy seats are two inches wider than the current industry average.
* The plane’s range is 8,000 nautical miles, fully loaded, which means fewer connections.
Boeing, which held the heavyweight title for more than 30 years, claims that three flights of its new 787 Dreamliner (also known as the 7E7), which is due out in 2008, will cost less, create fewer pollutants and produce more revenue than one flight of the A380. The 787s, which carry just 200 to 300 passengers, can also go 8,000 nautical miles.
Me, I Iike the 787s. That’s because I’m a flight attendant, and I’ve seen that no good comes of big, overcrowded flights.
Let’s take a closer look at problems and passenger loads. Boeing’s 747, the biggest passenger plane now in the air (capacity of 400), has an unofficial mechanical delay/cancellation rate of 3 in 10 flights. This may be normal in the airline industry, but when you have 400 passengers on board, any delay or cancellation becomes a serious rerouting problem.
Airbus pegs the optimal capacity for its A380 at 555 passengers. But the airplane can be configured for more than 800 passengers, and we all know what happens when airlines have the chance to cram more people into their planes. So what happens when, worst-case scenario, you double Boeing’s load?
Well, there will be twice the seating problems, for one thing, and twice the special-needs issues, and four times the interaction complications (because interpersonal conflict escalates exponentially — ask any crew member). I don’t even want to think about the boarding process. And since this airplane will be used primarily on international routes, can you imagine the delays in the baggage claim and immigration areas?
And how long will it take to find and remove a suitcase if a passenger doesn’t show? Heaven forbid the plane is late and you have 800 misconnects. I have seen riots at airports among passengers of a 737, and that airplane carries only 110 passengers; I hesitate to guess what will happen with 800. Not to mention the terrorist aspect.
“The bigger the better” may work in romance novels or in the cruise industry, but take a look at what is happening to the auto industry, with everyone stuck in huge SUVs waiting in line at the gas pump.
What looks good on the engineer’s drawing board does not always fly in real life. The human aspect is the most important consideration in the airline industry. If you already feel like you’re flying in a cattle car, watch out. It sounds like it is about to get a lot worse.
What do you think about big airplanes? E-mail me and let me know.
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