Big Aircraft, Big Decline – Widebody Aircraft in Passenger Service 1999-2018

Widebody Aircraft in Passenger Service 1999-2018

• Widebody passenger aircraft have been seeing a deployment shift over the long term
• Very large aircraft like the 747 (all series) and the A380-800 has seen a consistent decline in fleet development over the last 20-years
• From 600+ aircraft in 1999 to less than 400 (on a combined basis) in 2018
• Widebody aircraft with seating configurations of 200 to 350 seats have gone from about 2,000 in-service aircraft in 1999 to more than 4,000 in 2018
• Consequently, the sweet spot for values of widebody aircraft have migrated to the mid-sized Widebody sector
• With the announcement of the A380 production shutdown and with the 747-8 having little traction for passenger versions, value erosion may continue