This argument about the A380-vs-B7E7 will doubtless go on and on, until the A380 arrives in volume service, sweeps the 747 fleets away, and probably beyond then too.

But look at history. EXACTLY the same arguments were put by McDonnell Douglas at the end of the 1960s when the 747 was first coming along, that airlines could have three DC-8s for the price of a 747, with a wider choice of departure times and points, yadda yadda yadda .....

Once the 747 came into service scarcely another DC-8 was sold.

What is being said by Boeing is for the consumption of the press (who have swallowed the story well) to gloss over the fact that Boeing don't have a top-line aircraft any more (they delivered just three passenger 747s in 2004, and it's on its way out). And that's what McDonnell Douglas were trying to gloss over as well all those years ago. But the airlines know what they are doing expecting continuing high demand, and indeed strong growth, on the trunk routes, and buying aircraft accordingly.

And look what Emirates, the largest A380 purchaser, are doing. They are developing a new hub as an alternative to existing ones, exactly what the "thin route" people advocate, but they are going for the biggest aircraft to do it with !