Comment by ggm | Hacker News Reader

Comment by ggm | Hacker News Reader

I enjoyed 2 decades of flying for work. My preference for airbus was founded on experience in air. a 747 top deck is a counter case, that aside (or the nose) I always found airbus both quieter, and nicer to be in.

But, the duopoly had a benefit, it was what australians call in politics "keep the bastards honest" qualities. The price of the product, it's safety record, had the element of "the competition is there" -albiet with some dirty fighting around state support. It amazed me how clearly the word went out to US carriers not to buy airbus (if this is a myth, I apologise. It feels true)

But noise and comfort aside (looking at you 777. those engines) I would say "if its not Boeing I'm not going" has fully inverted. I don't know another professional fly-for-work person who wants to be booked on a Boeing jet.

Let that sink in. It had a catch phrase as the only rational safe choice. and they completely fucked it up.

I have a bias. I've flown Bombardier, Embraer, Comac, De Havilland as well. I just prefer the airbus product, for probably highly irrational reasons, engine noise aside.

I have no idea if the embedded certification stuff is also in airbus, but after the spate of "we did this to avoid having to entirely re-certify pilots even though the flying experience really is different" incidents, it felt like a system of checks and balances, manufacturers actually getting externally reviewed for compliance and fit-for-purpose has gone out the window. I am not saying HAS. I am saying FEELS LIKE.

The "vent battery to outside" and "reboot plane no later than every 51 days" 787 incidents I can laugh off. Kinda.

You can throw out all the word salad you want about how you refuse to fly Boeing, but it doesn't change the facts.

Here's the facts: https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/2023-10/statsum_summ...

Anyone can simply go look at those safety records for themselves rather than listening to some random user's opinion. Look at both the safety of various Boeing planes vs various Airbus planes, and the records for how plane travel continues to be safer every year for the last 5 decades.

I don't refuse to fly Boeing, I'm observing what choice plays in deciding what to fly. And, like all the other frequent flyers since we're all still here we are not blind to the stats. Vibes aren't facts. But thanks for a rationalist take although I think the table of hull losses tells a more complex story than you think. Especially the Max.

Word salad is normal.

> Here's the facts: https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/2023-10/statsum_summ...

Not the easiest to read format, but the facts seem to show the A300 and A310 were best avoided. But they ceased production 30 years ago.

On modern airplanes that are / were recently made that link seems to show the Airbus models are remarkably good. Some modern Boeing models less so, the 737 in particular. But not all - the 787 has done well.

How does the top floor of an a380 compare to the top deck of a 747?

Quieter, but more people so less service per customer. The 747 top deck was an island of calm. But, the engine noise and fewer toilets plays to the 380 being better overall I think.

Slower boarding and deplaning as well.

Qantas had storage bins between the seat and wall due to the wall curve, one of the best features of the upper deck

Some American airlines have large Airbus fleets, and some European ones (notably Ryanair) have large Boeing fleets.

Now, from a de-risking POV one can imagine reasons why an airline might want a local supplier (for instance, if Trump goes through with his more bonkers tariffs threats, those Airbus-dependent US carriers might have difficulties).

Really, the odd thing here is that, as a result of decades of poor antitrust control, there are only two companies who make large planes (both are the result of mergers which should arguably not have been permitted).

Ryanair. I use it when I have to. Given free choice it's not the first preference but I'm not talking LCC seat buying. Still your fundamental points are well made.

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