Two of the industry's most prominent independent forecasters see a need for Boeing to invest in new technology in the large narrowbody segment as structural changes brought about by the Covid pandemic widen Airbus's sales advantage in the overall single-aisle market. Speaking remotely during Monday’s Aero Montreal conference, Teal Group vice president of analysis Richard Aboulafia cited International Air Transport Association statistics attributing far more of the 66 percent decline in traffic this year to international markets than domestic and the resulting airline preference for smaller aircraft. For several years, Boeing has held a fairly large advantage over Airbus in the widebody market while Airbus has seen broader and deeper demand for its narrowbodies than has its U.S. competitor. Aboulafia sees that trend becoming more pronounced over the coming years unless Boeing does something to address the segment of the market occupied by the long-range A321neo in particular.
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