Airbus, Boeing and Embraer seem willing to wait longer than expected to decide whether or not to re-engine their respective single-aisle offerings, as limited engineering resources and market ambivalence create a less-than-ideal environment for bold action. Boeing, in fact, has signaled that it might not reach a final decision on how to approach a successor to the 737NG until next year, while Embraer has given itself another six to nine months to reach a conclusion. Airbus, meanwhile, now says it likely won’t decide on whether or not to proceed with the A320NEO until the end of this year, after two separate anticipated launch dates passed without an announcement.
While the European airframe maker still appears the most likely candidate to launch a re-engined narrowbody, widely held expectations that it would announce a decision at the Farnborough airshow went unfulfilled, as did the more recent prospect of an imminent launch following this month’s meeting of Airbus top management.
