SURVEY: PASSENGERS PREFER BOEING COMFORT FOR LONG FLIGHTS

 Results from a new in-flight survey of more than 8,000 passengers provide the latest evidence that passengers overwhelmingly prefer Boeing jetliners for long flights.

The Long Flights Airplane Passenger Passenger-Preference Survey was conducted by 10 major international airlines and The Boeing Company between October 1999 and May 2000. It is the most recent in a series of surveys to determine airplane passenger preference in different regions of the world. Nearly 85 percent of the respondents were flying between the Asia-Pacific region and Europe or North America. About 15 percent were traveling on long flights between Europe or Latin America and the United States.

"These results are consistent with surveys we and others have conducted worldwide," said Seddik Belyamani, executive vice president of Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Group. "For long flights, passengers prefer airplanes that have been optimized for long-range comfort, and those airplanes are the Boeing 747, Boeing 777 and Boeing 767."

Here are the results at a glance:

Boeing 747 vs. Airbus A340

Two out of three respondents preferred the Boeing 747 to the A340 for long flights. In First Class, 86 percent preferred the Boeing 747 to the A340; 73 percent of Business Class; and 65 percent of Economy Class passengers.

Boeing 777 vs. Airbus A340

The Boeing 777 continues to overwhelm the A340 in passenger-preference surveys. Passengers gave the 777 their highest overall preference rating, with three of four passengers preferring the 777 to the A340. In First Class, 81 percent preferred the 777; 72 percent of Business Class; and 71 percent of Economy Class passengers.

Boeing 767 vs. Airbus A330

Passengers voiced a strong preference for the Boeing 767 over its closest competitor, the Airbus A330. In First Class, 63 percent of First Class passengers preferred the 767; 57 percent of Business Class; and 57 percent of Economy Class passengers.

Consistency of Results

The long-flight survey results for each model are consistent with previous passenger-preference surveys for intermediate-to-long-range flights in different regions of the world.

Survey Method

The latest in a series conducted worldwide, the Long Flights Airplane Preference survey was conducted between October 1999 and May 2000, using standard passenger-preference methodology. Passengers rated each airplane against other airplanes they had flown on similar flights within the previous two years. Results were then tabulated and shared with participating airlines.