Can a New Boeing 777X-10 Threaten Airbus A380 Superjumbo?

The Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) is reportedly considering a stretched version of its yet-to-delivered 777X to compete with the Airbus Group SE’s A380 double-decked, superjumbo jet. A report Wednesday from Bloomberg News said that Boeing has talked with several carriers about the so-called 777-10X, including Middle East carrier Emirates, the largest operator of both 777s and A380s.

A dual-engine, widebody 777-10X would add about 4 extra rows of seats and carry around 450 passengers. The A380 is capable of carrying around 485 to more than 600 passengers on its four-engine, widebody, double-decked airframe. Configured as a single-class (economy), an airline could stuff nearly 840 seats on the A380’s two decks.

Emirates has been pressing Airbus to put new engines on the A380-800, a decision that Airbus continues stalling on because Emirates is essentially the only customer for the plane. But the airline has promised to order 200 of the re-engined planes if Airbus builds it.

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A 777-10X would carry about 450 passengers, roughly as many as a Boeing 747-8. If the Bloomberg report is accurate, Boeing appears to want to position the 777-10X as a modern replacement for the decades old 747. So the question the company has to ask itself is if there is still a market for a 747-size aircraft. And if there is, how important will fuel costs be when the plane finally makes it to market?

The first 777-9X is not scheduled to begin production until next year and first customer deliveries are not expected until 2020. A 777-10X may take up to two or three additional years to get to customers.

Neither Boeing nor Emirates would comment directly on the Bloomberg report except to say the usual things about new products are always being considered and that regular discussions about new products are part of everyday business.

With a price tag of $400 million, the 777-9X is the most expensive plane on Boeing’s price list. The A380 carries a price tag of $428 million per copy. A re-engined version of the A380 would certainly add to that price and a 777-10X would probably come in at somewhere near the current cost of an A380.

We won’t know the price tag of a new 777-10X until Boeing decides if it will build the plane, but the company typically releases its new price list at the beginning of July so at least we’ll find out how much the company’s planes will cost for the next 12 months. Last year Boeing boosted prices by 2.9% across the board.

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