747

Take that, Airbus.

That's what Boeing said Tuesday at the Paris Air Show, when it announced an $8.8 billion, 60-plane sale of its forthcoming and much-anticipated 787 Dreamliner to the leasing company ILFC, according to Reuters.

The deal comes on the heels of Airbus announcing Monday more than $30 billion in orders, a move much needed by the beleaguered British/French plane consortium. Its hugely hyped A380 super-airplane has disappointed critics because it was very late to market and incredibly over budget.

But none of that mattered to Boeing, which happily showed that the 787 Dreamliner has some … Read more

I've always regarded the Airbus A380 with both awe and anxiety. I'm in awe of the technological achievement of producing the world's biggest airliner, even if it lacks the graceful lines of a 747. And though I'd fly on it if I had to sit on a cardboard box, I'm still anxious about spending 14 hours crammed into a coach seat hurtling through the air with the population of a small town. But according to an Airbus exec, 500 passengers is just a drop in the bucket compared with what the behemoth place could really … Read more

Let's face it: Most of us, when we travel, will forever be condemned to ouch--er, coach--class. But we can dream, right?

Boeing has been teasing us for some months now with its promise of comfier airlifts in the 747-8 Intercontinental, an update of the now classic jumbo jet that's slated to enter commercial service in 2010. The interior is supposed to feel less like that of a plane and more like a room in your well-heeled neighbor's house. Some of the amenities include small bar tables and plusher seats. (Take a gander at scenes from the January … Read more