Boeing may come around on Emirates 747-8I range request

[Midnight Mike]

Boeing may come around on Emirates 747-8I range request
Tuesday November 6, 2007
Boeing is revisiting the original 747-8 Intercontinental design in order to meet Emirates' demand for Dubai-US West Coast range capability.

Speaking to ATWOnline in Australia, Emirates Vice Chairman Maurice Flanagan said that the "3.6-m. stretch is back on the table and we think other airlines are also interested."

When Boeing elected a year ago to lengthen the original 747-8I from a 3.6-m. stretch to the 5.6-m. stretch of the 747-8F (ATWOnline, Nov. 1, 2006), this resulted in boosting seating from 450 in the company's standard three-class configuration to 467. This was done after gains in the wind tunnel pushed the design range from 8,000 nm. to 8,300 nm. That range increase was traded for passengers.

The effect was to broaden the aircraft's appeal to the underbelly of the A380 market and improve its seat-mile costs over the 777-300ER. However, Emirates wants the smaller stretch with the greater range, which now would be approximately 8,400 nm. with a 50-ton payload after some more gains.

It appears that the potential range capability of the 747-8 is emerging as a significant point of difference with the A380, and after losing the British Airways order (ATWOnline, Sept. 28) Boeing is reevaluating the original design. It and Emirates have been working for more than a year on solutions to EK's range requirement, including lightening the galleys and seeking shorter polar routes over Russia. The manufacturer would confirm only that a configuration announcement will be made this week.

[flyboy 28]

It'd be interesting to see a 747 in Emirates passenger colors.

[Nonstop2AUH]

Suspect it would not look much different from the Atlas freighters that fly in EK colors, just without the "SkyCargo" beneath the Emirates typface.

Sounds like Boeing really wants an EK order for this plane, but couldn't EK do DXB-LAX with aircraft it already has (e.g. A345, 77L, etc.)?

[Matt Molnar]

They could, but not with 450 pax. :)

[Nonstop2AUH]

With their 10-across economy configuration, I'm sure EK could find a way to get 450 pax on a 777. They must want 450 seats with a large premium component.

[adam613]

With their 10-across economy configuration, I'm sure EK could find a way to get 450 pax on a 777. They must want 450 seats with a large premium component.

If you tried to cram 450 pax on a -200LR, you wouldn't have any premium component at all...