As of September 2023, the American Airlines fleet is the largest in the world, comprising 980 mainline aircraft from Boeing and Airbus. Over 80% of American's aircraft are narrow-bodies from the Airbus A320 family and the Boeing 737 family.
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Airline operatorsThere were 436 A350 aircraft in service with 33 operators as of June 30, 2021. The largest operators are Singapore Airlines (63), Qatar Airways (53), Cathay Pacific (42), Delta Air Lines (28), and Lufthansa (21). First operator in France. A350-1000 orders were converted from A350-900.
Airbus emphasizes commonality across its aircraft models, meaning that pilots can more easily transition between different Airbus aircraft. This approach benefits airlines by reducing training time and costs. Boeing's aircraft, in contrast, have more variation in cockpit design and systems.
With around 134,000 employees and as the largest aeronautics and space company in Europe and a worldwide leader, Airbus is at the forefront of the aviation industry.
In 2019, Airbus displaced Boeing as the largest aerospace company by revenue due to the Boeing 737 MAX groundings, pulling in revenues of US$78.9 billion and US$76 billion respectively.
These companies – including two of Airbus' largest customers, GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) and International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) – offer a low-risk option for airlines, allowing them to operate without the need for financing a fleet and providing flexibility to add or remove capacity as needed.
It was found that Boeing had more accidents than expected, while Airbus had fewer (p = 0.015). In terms of fatalities, Boeing had more than expected, with Airbus fewer (p < 0.001). Looking at accidents alone, only the number of fatalities was statistically significantly different.
Airbus began as a consortium (a group) of aircraft makers called Airbus Industrie. Later, in 2001, it became a joint-stock company. It was owned by EADS (80%) and BAE Systems (20%). BAE sold its part of the company to EADS on 13 October 2006, so EADS now completely owns the company.
For the first quarter of 2022, Airbus had earnings of €1.26 billion ($1.34 billion) while Boeing lost $1.22 billion. Airbus reported total revenue of €12 billion ($12.7 billion) compared to Boeing's $14 billion.
The PilotsFor those looking after the safety of everyone on board, the A380 is generally well-loved. “The A380 is a pleasure to operate,” said Nigel, a captain for a European airline. “Handling is similar to the A320, with the 380 being a little more sensitive in pitch.
But if you're faced with the choice between an Airbus A320 family jet and a Boeing 737, you might want to go with the former. Thanks to the wider cabin, reduced cabin-wall curvature and better-placed windows, the Airbus offers a more comfortable ride than the 737, all else being equal.