The Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are probably the best-selling widebody aircraft on the market today. They are often compared and are seemingly similar. Both are made of a high percentage of lightweight carbon fiber materials and are long-range twin-engined aircraft known for their fuel-efficient engines and comfortable premium cabins. The Boeing 787 is extremely popular with airlines for many reasons, whilst the A350 is a newer aircraft type and instantly recognizable by its ‘raccoon mask’.

However, there are also some differences between them that cabin crew may notice. The Airbus A350 has more range than the Boeing 787, but the Dreamliner has a lighter maximum take-off weight. The 787 is also slightly smaller at 207 feet (63 meters), whereas the A350 is 243 feet (74 meters). The 787 is very aerodynamic with very flexible wings that visibly move in flight, and is built using barrel sections, whilst the A350 has a higher passenger capacity, and its fuselage is built in four-panel sections.

Value For Money?

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The Airbus A350 has a longer range and more seats; therefore, it has a lower seat-to-mile cost, according to Air Insight. In comparison, the Boeing 787 is a lighter aircraft, so it has a lower cost per aircraft mile. Delving deeper into total operating costs, these include the cost of the aircraft, overheads, air traffic control and airport fees, landing fees and handling, crew costs, fuel, ownership costs, and MRO.

The two aircraft are close in terms of economic performance. The Airbus A350 has a total cost per seat mile of $0.1210 and a cost per block hour of $18,370, according to data from Air Insight, which compared the costs across seven operators. The Boeing 787, in comparison, has a cost per seat mile of $0.1250, which is just over three percent higher, whilst the cost per block hour is $16,899, eight percent lower.

Both the A350 and the 787 share similarities and perform similar missions. In terms of costs, the A350 has the seat-mile cost advantage, whereas the 787 has the advantage in cost per block hour. The Airbus A350 can cost between $300 million and $366 million, and the Boeing 787 can cost between $248 million and $338 million. The two aircraft types can be seen as competitors and do indeed almost tie in terms of cost and performance.

A Quick Comparison

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Boeing has an advantage in flexibility with the 787, as it has three different types: the 787-8, the 787-9, and the 787-10, and replaces aircraft like the Airbus A330 and the Boeing 767. The 787-8 is the smallest type and is similar in size to the A330-200, and cannot be compared to the A350. It can also be compared to the A330-900, but it does not have the range of the 787.

The Airbus A350 comes in two types: the A350-900 and the A350-1000, which replace aircraft like the Boeing 777-300ER. The 787-9 and A350-900 are the most popular with airlines and are comparable, though the 787-9 is a smaller aircraft. In comparison, the largest aircraft are the Boeing 787-10 and the A350-1000, although the latter is significantly larger than its counterpart.

Data adapted from Air Insight.

Airbus had originally planned for a smaller A350, the A350-800, but the aircraft type was too heavy and less fuel-efficient than the 787, so this variant was canceled. The A350-800 was seen as a ‘niche’ aircraft, and some customers ordered the larger A350-900 instead, or the less expensive re-engined A330neo. After poor sales, the A350-800 was replaced by the A330-800 and A330-900.

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The Introduction Of The Boeing 787 Dreamliner

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The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was a revolutionary aircraft, and as a commercial airliner, it created many ‘firsts’ in the aviation industry. It was the first commercial aircraft to have a 50% carbon fiber composite airframe, including the fuselage and wings, which in turn reduced its weight. Electronic systems replaced some of the traditional hydraulic systems. It was the first aircraft that reduced fuel efficiency by 20 to 25 percent.

Cabin comfort was improved with a lower altitude of 6,000 feet instead of the usual 8,000 feet. The cabin also has higher humidity and better air filtration, which all reduce jet lag and enhance passenger comfort. Of course, this makes a difference to cabin crew working on long-haul flights, as the jet lag and fatigue can be extremely difficult to deal with, especially when constantly traveling East to West all the time. The Boeing 787 was also the first aircraft to use a computer-controlled turbulence reduction system and a hybrid laminar flow control on the tail fin and horizontal stabilizer. Anything that reduces turbulence is beneficial to cabin crew, as it can be hard to predict when working in the cabin.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner became the best-selling aircraft in aviation history and is still popular with airlines on long-haul routes and sales still remain high. Cabin crew find it easy to work on and comfortable due to the lower cabin altitude. It is well known for its oversized windows without blinds that can be electronically dimmed, which bring in extra light, reducing fatigue. At night, the cabin crew can dim them, so passengers can sleep. Later, with the development of the A350, Airbus took everything Boeing had achieved with the 787 and improved it, with a larger, stronger, faster, and more fuel-efficient aircraft. The Airbus Airspace design makes the cabin feel very spacious, and it is five decibels quieter than the 787, which is a bonus for the crew working onboard.

Why Is The Airbus A350 Not Outselling The Boeing 787?

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Although passengers and airlines alike are often cited for the popularity of the Airbus A350 for its comfort, it still hasn’t outsold the Dreamliner. Why is that? Is it purely brand loyalty? Aircraft procurement is based on strategy, timing, and economics, and not advanced engineering. In reality, although much compared, the 787 was never in competition with the A350, although the new 777X will likely become the closest competitor when it is introduced.

The Boeing 787 was designed to be used on ‘long thin’ routes that do not have as much demand to fill capacity, like the Boeing 777 or 747. It can be utilized on routes to secondary cities to avoid connecting hubs. The A350 was designed to replace the A340 and the Boeing 777 on high-demand long-haul routes. The A350 is often seen as a superior aircraft, but the 787 has sold much better in comparison.

Data: Simple Flying | Boeing | Airbus

Why is there such a difference in orders? Boeing discounted some Boeing 787s to secure its share in the market, sometimes up to 50 percent, according to Maximus Aviation. Timing also matters, as the 787 was introduced back in 2011, whereas the A350 was not introduced until 2015, when the A330 and Boeing 767 needed to be upgraded. But airlines went to Boeing first to replace their aging fleets.

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How Airlines Choose The Aircraft For Their Fleet

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Airlines look at how new aircraft types will fit in with their current fleet, and they often have predominantly Boeing or Airbus fleets. This is because it minimizes training and maintenance costs, and pilots and cabin crew can be certified on one Boeing type and fly another variant, e.g., the Boeing 757 and 767. This also applies to the Airbus family, e.g., A319, A320, and A321. Parts, training, and infrastructure are already in place, making delivery of new aircraft from the same manufacturer much easier. These commonalities save the airlines millions of dollars every year.

Some airlines choose to have both Airbus and Boeing fleets to maximize flexibility and optimize their network. Airbus aircraft are seen as more technologically focused with automation and fly-by-wire controls, and more comfortable cabins. Fuel efficiency and sustainability are important, as well as the use of advanced materials. Boeing aircraft are seen as more traditional, and the focus is more on efficiency and performance, as well as engine enhancements and advanced aerodynamics. Many large international airlines operate both Airbus and Boeing aircraft for optimal use on long-haul and short-haul routes, and most cabin crew will work on both types during their careers.

The Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 have much lower capacity than the A380 or the Boeing 747, which many international long-haul cabin crew may be familiar with. As a rule (FAA/EASA), one cabin crew member is required for every fifty passenger seats, so with less capacity, fewer crew members are necessary onboard. For airlines, these aircraft are much more fuel-efficient and have lower operating costs, which helps airlines maximize their revenue. Routes that were previously not considered economically feasible are now an option, along with ultra-long-haul flights of 20+ hours. Of course, these aircraft have crew rest areas for flight and cabin crew in order to be able to operate on such long flights.

The Bottom Line

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The Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787 are two of the most advanced widebody jets operating today. They are known for their reliability, fuel efficiency, and advanced technology, and are the backbone of many long-haul fleets across the world. The A350 is known for its quiet, comfortable cabin and much larger capacity, while the Boeing 787 is the workhorse aircraft, though passengers would probably not see much difference between the two. Both aircraft offer greater comfort with quieter cabins and lower cabin altitude, which are very noticeable for cabin crew working on long-haul flights, especially if they have worked on aircraft like the Boeing 777 and 747, or the Airbus A330 and A340.

For airlines, the Boeing 787 solves problems with its flexibility, though it can not fly as far as the A350. Indeed, Qantas used the A350 for ‘Project Sunrise’, allowing 20-hour nonstop flights between Sydney and London. Although passengers generally praise the 787 for its comfort, the one thing that has proved problematic is the large dimmable windows, which can be set by the cabin crew. The seats on the A350 are wider than those on the 787, which is another advantage. Cabin crew tend to have a preference for working on certain types, but this is a personal preference; there is no distinct difference in the way they work.

As airlines around the globe gradually retire their four-engine aircraft, it is clear that the future of long-haul travel lies firmly with two-engine aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. They are long-range aircraft that are fuel-efficient and therefore have lower operating costs, which is a win for the airlines. For cabin crew, it’s just another aircraft type, but the most important factor for them is reduced fatigue. The two aircraft are often compared as they are the most advanced commercial aircraft until the Boeing 777X is introduced, which is more likely to be a direct comparison to the A350.