[Proud_USA_Republican]

Can't the 747-8 hold more passengers than a 777-300?

And I've heard that Quantas, Singapore, and JAL are very interested in the 747-8. The Japanese airlines especially don't like Airbust. They love Boeing planes.
The cargo version of the 747-8 has a lot of interest as well.

[RayChuang88]

And I've heard that Qantas, Singapore, and JAL are very interested in the 747-8. The Japanese airlines especially don't like Airbust.

Actually, Singapore Airlines is watching how well the A380-800 does when it comes to still-air range at standard mean takeoff weight (MTOW). If the A380-800 can demonstrate the original 8,000 nautical mile still-air range at standard MTOW, then Singapore Airlines would end up buying more A380-800's than buying the 747-8I. However, the air cargo division of Singapore Airlines would definitely want to buy the 747-8F, though.

I believe that besides Qantas (which will use the 747-8I on the Sydney-Dallas and Sydney-Johannesberg routes), the primary customers will be Japan Airlines and British Airways, since both of these airlines are least affected by landing slot restrictions at their own home airports.

[Energy Alley]

In the real world, airplanes are rarely configured as Airbus and Boeing advertise them. And the 777-300 might only have 50 fewer seats than a 747.

The 747-800 is too expensive to a retread, even with a discount it is still ridiculously expensive. For the freighters, this is still worth while - there is alot of flying scrap metal out there that needs replacement and with the front loading capability and dramatic improvement in operational economics the 748F is ideal, it just isn't their first choice - in which case you better be the price leader, which the 747-800 is not.

The Japanese airlines actually do like Airbus, unfortunately for Airbus - US trade surplus mitigation is official government policy and buying Airbus will get them a molten lead enema from Tokyo.

At one point the Japanese government was buying planes themselves and just parking them as part of the policy.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

In a 3 class configure, the 747-8I can hold 450 pax easily, or even 480.
I would guess that the 747-8I can and will hold more that the 777-300.
But with Qantas, they want to open a new route to SYN-DFW round trip year round, they can't do that with the 777-300 or 777-200LR because of winds going west.