With society now relying on the delivery of goods more than ever, there could be an extension to the life of the 747. "The addition of our very first 747-8 Freighter is a significant moment for our Cargo division, and a welcome addition to our 20-strong cargo fleet of wide-body aircraft." Moreover, in another press release, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker also emphasized the value of cargo services when he received the Doha-based airline's first of two 747-8Fs in 2017. These new aircraft will play an important role in our continued efforts to develop Hong Kong as a leading international air cargo hub." We are very excited about bringing the 747-8F into our freighter fleet because it will give us an increased payload over a longer range with superb operating economics, enabling us to provide an even better service to our customers. "Cargo is a very important part of Cathay Pacific’s business, accounting for around a third of our revenues in a good year. Photo: Getty ImagesĪccording to a press release, when receiving its first 747-8 freighter, former Cathay Pacific director of cargo, Nick Rhodes, shared how vital shipping operations are to the company. Atlas Air, UPS, Cargolux, Cathay Pacific, AirBridgeCargo, and Nippon Cargo, are all using the freighter on their operations.Ĭargolux operates 16 747-400s and 14 747-8s. The 747-8F is helping several major players ship goods across the globe. Additionally, we do have to admit that a cargo version of the Boeing 747 exists, and it is quite popular. Looking at cargo capacity, the Boeing 747 has more capacity despite having less powerful engines and less thrust.Īirbus has leaned hard into serving passengers and let Boeing slip ahead for this category. Additionally, we will assume that both are just as easy to fly as each other.Ĭargo is a very lucrative source of revenue for carriers, and our airline is no exception.
We will take these into account but will prioritize what looks better on paper. Some aircraft might provide a better customer experience when it comes to quieter engines and better cabins. We will also be looking for the best flexibility and the most cost-effective operations. While it goes without saying that a Boeing 747 freight variant would easily beat an A380 (as an Airbus cargo variant was never built), we will try to remain fair and imagine that we are primarily a passenger airline first. When it comes to technical specifications, we will primarily be comparing the latest version of each model: The Boeing 747-8, and the most up to date version of the Airbus A380-800.Īdditionally, we will pretend that we are an airline that is looking for a large capacity aircraft for both passengers and cargo. Photo: Getty Imagesįirstly, we will be looking at official specifications from the Boeing and Airbus websites. The Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 are among the world's largest aircraft.
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