Originally Posted by
Foxdeux
You're right but 9 abreast on the A350 is what Airbus built it to be, when the 777 came out it was supposed to be 9 abreast but airlines got greedy and wanted high capacity so 10 abreast it went. When you fly on a 777 10 abreast you know immediately that the plane wasn't designed for that capacity. I haven't flown on an A350 yet but from what i've read the 9 abreast is wide enough, compared to the 787 9 abreast (a plane that was designed to be 8 abreast).
I can report that the A350 is both quiet and comfortable, at 9 across. Not as good as an A380 though. An Emirates A380 with RR engines (the only one I've tried, sure the GE one is just as good) is a thing to behold.
The 777x needs to be significantly quieter than the classic if it's going to challenge the Airbus airliners. With thinner walls it's going to require some pretty exotic sound insulation, = heavy.
I'd heard that the sound insulation on 787 was optional, and has never been ordered. The demo aircraft originally shown off to the aviation press did have it...
Despite not liking the 777, it's encouraging to see a US airline give a thought for passenger comfort. Delta are buying C series too, which is also comfortable according to many accounts.
If Delta start picking up market share by being a little bit nicer to their passengers than the others, that idea might become the new vogue. So if demand for more comfortable aircraft picks up , who is selling those at the moment, and more pertinently who is not? A320/C Series vs 737? A350 vs 787/777x (at 9 and 10 across)? A380 vs nothing?