Market Presence. The development of the B747-8I improved the operating economics of the type. Airbus indicates that the A380 currently offers a 15-20 percent efficiency improvement over the B747-400. The larger -8I made the differential much more marginal. Indeed, Boeing cited that the trip cost of the -8I over the A380 was some 25 percent less though the number of seats are fewer so the seat mile costs favor the A380.
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