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Mid-market Airplane (NMA)
featuring a hybrid cross-section,
new-generation engines,
composites and technologies
transferred from the 787 for
delivery to the market in the
mid-2020s. Some in the industry
dubbed the concept the ‘797’,
although Boeing itself hasn’t
referred to it as such.
Since then, there has been little
further o cial word from Boeing
about the concept, although
executives from major airlines
such as Delta, United and Qantas
have all been quoted publicly in
recent months as saying they’d be
interested in such a jet. In June,
Tinseth said Boeing has held
discussions with more than 50
airlines who “liked the e ciency”
of the NMA design.
There has been speculation
Boeing could announce an
authority to o er a new midsize
jet this year, but Boeing has played
down the possibility. Tinseth said
during the IATA AGM: “We are in
no rush to make a decision.”
Still, rising oil prices likely
means the need for a new-
generation midsize aircraft
o ering cost savings could be
drawn into sharper focus, soanalysts will therefore monitor
Farnborough to see if Boeing
gives any more updates.
They will also be watching to
see if there’s any news in this
area from Airbus, although the
company has said the combination
of the A321neo (the new A321LR
long-range variant, due for service
entry later this year, is specifi cally
designed for 757 replacement
needs) and the A330-800neo
means it has the segment covered.
Farnborough will also be
watched to see if there are any
announcements with other
commercial fi xed-wing aircraft.
Airbus’ acquisition of a majority
50.01% stake in the Bombardier
C Series single-aisle airliner has
recently been approved (the
European manufacturer was
due to take control of the jet
on July 1) so analysts will be
interested to see if there are any
further announcements on this
programme. There have been
reports Airbus is considering
renaming the C Series as the
A200 to fi t in with his aircraft
designations nomenclature once
the deal is fi nalised, and that
some American carriers could be
interested in buying the aircraft.MORE BOEING 787 Dreamliners
are to be used for the low-cost
long-haul niche after Japan
Airlines (JAL) announced a plan
to set up a new business unit in
the market.
JAL plans to establish the new,
yet-to-be-named carrier at Tokyo-
Narita, initially with two 787-8s.
JAL says the operation will be
focused on medium to long-haul
fl ights and will aim to provide
new travel options connecting
Tokyo with “select destinations”
in Asia, Europe and the Americas.The carrier is due to launch after
upgrades to Narita are completed
in summer 2020, which coincides
with that year’s Tokyo Olympics.
The 787 is already used in the
low-cost long-haul arena by
Norwegian, which now operates
29 examples (eight 787-8s and
21 787-9s) and Scoot, which has
17 (ten 787-8s and seven 787-
9s). Dreamliners will also equip
WestJet’s new long-haul unit and
the type has been rumoured to
interest carriers Level and AirAsia X.
Mark BroadbentAIRBUS RECENTLY added fi ve new
operators to the A320neo (new
engine option) operator base after
Iberia, Jazeera Airways, Loong
Air, Philippine Airlines and Royal
Brunei Airlines received their fi rst
A320neo or A321neo.
Airbus delivered 41 A320 Family
aircraft during May, including a
landmark handover: the 100th A320
Family aircraft for the low-cost
carrier Wizz Air, A321ceo (classic
engine option), HA-LTD (msn 8305).
The Hungarian airline is one of the
largest European customers for
the A320 Family, having ordered72 A320ceos, 72 A320neos, 40
A321ceos and 184 A321neos
according to Airbus data.
Separately, early June saw Airbus
quietly announce more orders for
the A319, the slowest-selling family
variant. An undisclosed customer
has ordered 22 A319neos and
fi ve A319ceos. Only 20 A319ceos
remain in backlog and the initial
A319neo is due to deliver this year,
so these 27 orders represent a
timely boost for the smallest A320
Family variant. Its orders total now
stands at 56 A319neos and 1,489
A319ceos. Mark BroadbentBoeingAirbus additions
AirbusLow-cost long-
haul 787s