The Hindu Business Line : Of fanciful flying machines

THE stiff competition between Boeing Company of the US and Airbus Industrie of Europe has been a long story of neck-to-neck racing, with both seeking supremacy in the airplane manufacturing industry.

The battle of wits has covered such wide areas as clinching business deals, developing new models, improving operational economy, providing comfort to passengers and, above all, ensuring profitability.

Boeing 747 was a trendsetter in wide-bodied passenger aircraft and ruled the skies for some decades with Airbus 300, of a more modest build, trailing just behind.

To capture a greater share of the travel market, both companies recently upped the ante — Boeing with its 777 family and Airbus with a Superjumbo. Indeed, the simultaneous release of the new products by the two manufacturers marks an incredible coincidence in their R&D exercises.

Boeing has given greater priority to the creation of a real technological marvel — the 777-200 LR model that has the longest ever range, nearly 9,800 miles. The design pays equal attention to features that ensure reliability and productivity.

Airbus, on the other hand, provides a variety of amenities to lure customers. For instance, it has converted a portion of the cabin into a mobile plaza with places earmarked for entertainment, wining and dining. However, in offering such luxuries, there is no dilution or compromise on the basic criteria insisted upon by all major airlines, such as reliability, safety and global positioning. Thus, Airbus has sought to make up the extra costs by providing massive accommodation for 800 passengers.

But the Superjumbo may well turn out to be a transient display of a fanciful flying machine. Of concern is the impact the new carrier will have on the airports and their infrastructure. How many of the terminals would be willing to remodel and expand to suit the increased demands?

The fantastic facilities of the behemoth may not make great sense for the average passenger. For, quite unlike a voyage by ship, which is mainly for leisure and laze, the airplane serves as a rapid medium of transport preferred, especially, for international travel. After a tiring experience of long queues at the checking and security terminals of the airport and anxious waiting, the first thing the much-harried travellers do on emplaning is rest.

Plane manufacturers must please customers, no doubt, but only by concentrating on the most essential personal conveniences. What is greatly desirable is more room.The very thought of 800 people in a double-decker configuration is not in the least comforting to the much-harassed passenger!

(The author is a freelance writer in the US.)

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