Airbus' new $260 million answer to Boeing's 787-8 Dreamliner just began flying passengers but it's already looking like a flop

The A330neo family is the 2.0 version of Airbus' popular A330 wide-body jets, equipped with new engines and a slightly reworked design to maximize range and efficiency.

It's the latest in Airbus' next-generation lineup that also includes the A350 XWB...

And the A320neo family of aircraft.

Airbus developed two A330neo aircraft in the new series: the larger A330-900neo and smaller A330-800neo.

The A330-800neo is based on the A330-200, with the two nearly identical except for three main differences.

The first difference is the engine choice. Two Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines exclusive to the A330neo family provide between 68,000 and 72,000 pounds of thrust.

Source: Rolls-Royce

Next, the sharklet wingtips on the A330-800neos are curved, compared to the sharp-edged design on the A330-200.

And finally, the cockpit windows are surrounded by black paint, almost as if wearing a mask.

Even though it's the smaller of the two A330neos, it can still seat up to 406 passengers in a high-density configuration. In a normal configuration, it seats up to 260 passengers.

Source: Airbus

The jet also has a top range of 8,150 nautical miles, 900 more than the A330-200 can fly.

Source: Airbus

Its main competitor is the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, with the two jets commiserating as the smallest in their respective families.

Source: Business Insider

But judging from Airbus' order book, the Boeing jet is clearly the bigger winner.

Read More: Boeing's revolutionary 787 Dreamliner has changed air travel forever. Here's how the company left competitors in the dust with a risky $8 billion bet.

Kuwait Airways took delivery of the first A330-800neo on October 29 and began passenger flights with it in November between Kuwait City and Dubai.

Source: Airbus and Flightradar 24

The flag carrier opted for a 235-seat configuration with a 32-seat business class cabin and a 203-seat economy class cabin.

Source: Airbus

Although flying for a major carrier like Kuwait Airways, the A330-800neo won't likely be as big a success as its sibling since so few have been ordered by airlines.

The only other known carriers that have the aircraft on order is Africa's Uganda Airlines with two aircraft...

Source: Airbus

And Air Greenland with a memorandum of understanding for one aircraft.

Source: Airbus

Airbus has had better luck, however, with the A330-900neo, developed first as the larger variant seating up to 440 passengers with a 7,200-nautical mile range.

Source: Airbus

It's based on the A330-300.

TAP Air Portugal first took delivery of the jet in November 2018 and it also yielded orders from major global carriers.

In the US, Delta Air Lines placed a 25-aircraft order, the only American carrier to take on the A330neo.

Source: Delta Air Lines

It could also be found flying with Air Mauritius...

And Air Senegal, among others.

Luckily, the A330-800neo isn't a clean-sheet design and it didn't cost Airbus as much to develop it as it would've if the jets were built from scratch.