A massive array of competitors and a price conscious customer base have transformed the airline industry into one of the most competitive markets in the world. This has made it a necessity for airlines to cut costs in order to offer customers a comparative price to that of its competitors. As such, massive aircrafts like the ones Airbus and Boeing offer, have become increasingly appealing among airlines, who can use them to sell seats for reasonable prices while limiting the overhead costs of multiple flight crews, and fuel. This being said, companies such as Japan Airlines were recently quick to purchase Airbus’s newest wide-bodied jet, despite the promise of a similar sized and more efficient Boeing jet on the way. This $9.5 billion dollar purchase emphasized the necessity of getting to market first. Although anticipated that Boeing will release superior product, the Japanese buying was forced to replace its old Boeing aircrafts with the newer Airbus jets simply because they were able to offer their product when the company needed it. This has cost Boeing valuable market share in a demographic that they once had a firm grip, and furthermore taught them a valuable lesson in being first.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/business/international/jal-orders-9-5-billion-worth-of-airbus-jets.html?_r=0