Subject:
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How big is to big?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sun, 16 Jul 2000 20:00:19 GMT
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Viewed:
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185 times
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(exert taken from CNN article)
"(CNN) -- The challenge for the travel industry in the next century is to
accommodate an anticipated boom in tourism and commuting -- and to do so in
style. Specialists say to expect bigger planes, larger ships, faster jets and
more amenities.
Air travel has opened the world to the masses in a way hardly imagined only
decades ago. "In addition to Americans traveling a lot more, we also see the
world getting a lot smaller," says Suzanne Cook, of the Travel Industry
Association. "International tourism is growing at an even faster rate than
domestic travel."
Airline officials say they expect worldwide air travel to grow from 1.3
billion passengers this year to 2 billion passengers in 2010. That has
inspired Airbus to consider building a new plane that's even bigger than
Boeing's jumbo jet, the 747. The super-jumbo A3XX would seat up to 555
passengers, a third again as many as the 747.
The European consortium is expected to decide in the next year whether to
build the super-jumbo A3XX, with a first delivery possible in 2005.
Critics including Chris Bowers of United Airlines, say many airports won't be
able to handle such a large aircraft. "It makes no sense to build an airplane
with 600 passengers," he says, "if the gate room can only hold 100 or if
customs and immigration can only take so many per hour. We do think we can
have bigger aircraft than exist today, such as the 747s. But, again, in
limited quantities."
Richard Branson, chairman of London-based Virgin Atlantic Airways, says it's
not quantity but quality that counts. "We pamper our passengers like no
airline pampers them."
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"We're introducing separate rooms with double beds in all of our planes so
people can actually go with their partner and have a proper night's sleep."
--Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic Airways
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Virgin planes have personal video monitors at every seat, a standup bar,
manicures and massages. And there's more to come, Branson says.
"We've got many plans for the next century," Branson says. "First of all,
we're introducing separate rooms with double beds in all of our planes so
people can actually go with their partner and have a proper night's sleep, if
they want to sleep."
End.
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How big is to big? Sure I realize that many people need to get from point a to
point b, but what happens when so many of them are cramped into one airplane?
Picture yourself on the A3XX, flying at a safe altitude, all of a sudden a
bomb goes off in the lugage compartment, and this two deck airliner comes
crashing to the ground bringing more than 700 people to their deaths. It would
probably be the worst disaster in history!
Now that plane, ship, train, and auto makers keep making things larger with
more capcity, there is more room for something to go wrong. Would you feel
safe on a two deck airplane that carries the most passengers in the world? I
wouldn't...
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Message has 5 Replies:
 | | Re: How big is to big?
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| (...) What? What kind of logic is that? Suppose someone sets off a bomb in a large office tower. Do you feel safe going to work? Boeing has plans to build a double-decker as well, should Airbus decide to go through with theirs. If enough airline (...) (24 years ago, 16-Jul-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: How big is to big?
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| (...) Cool! (...) I snipped this a bit, but I think this pseudo-quote is true to the intent. So, he's saying they're stupid and that they'll be buying some in the same breath, right? What's wrong with this picture? (...) Cool, so they can buy these (...) (24 years ago, 16-Jul-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: How big is to big?
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| (...) I don't think Airbus will decide against it. They really want to go through with this, the only possible problem they face is rejection from thier biggest (I think) shareholder, DaimlerChrysler, which owns about 30% of Airbus. Apparently, they (...) (24 years ago, 17-Jul-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: How big is to big?
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| (...) Maybe the worst "aircraft disaster", since the biggest I know had a 500+ death total (crashing 747s on the ground). (...) Why? I can't see anything that decreases the safety when compared the dying with 100 other people and dying with 600 (...) (24 years ago, 17-Jul-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: How big is to big?
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| I still want those one planes that people have been talking about for oh the past 30-40 years, Basically it's a icbm with people strapped to a pod on the back, halfway around the world in 5 hours with minimal expense. Technically feasible, probably (...) (24 years ago, 18-Jul-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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