In aviation lingo, a
widebody is an
airliner that has two parallel
aisles, seating up to ten
abreast in
economy class. The first widebody aircraft was the
Boeing 747, which was followed by competitors from other aircraft manufacturers. Today,
Boeing and
Airbus own the widebody market, and face no competition besides each other.
At first, widebodies were designed for long-range international routes, but since the Airbus A300 rolled out in the early 1970's, designers have also made widebodies accustomed to shorter, high-density routes. The domestic 747 used by JAL and ANA is a good example.
The following widebody aircraft have gone into production and service:
Two new widebody designs are being developed today The Airbus A380, slated for a 2006 rollout, is designed for high-density routes, while the Boeing 7E7, slated for a 2010 rollout, is designed for lesser routes. Many airlines now find it more economical to use several regional jets instead of one widebody over shorter corridors.
Abandoned widebody concepts include: