AIR Airbus SE

   By Kiley Roache 
 

FARNBOROUGH, England--Boeing Co.'s (BA) plans to potentially develop a new mid-sized plane won't trigger a copy-cat move by rival Airbus SE (AIR.FR), the European aerospace giant's chief executive Tom Enders said Wednesday, and he instead promised to upgrade existing airliner models.

Boeing Sunday said it would decide next year whether to pursue development of the new middle-of-the market aircraft, or NMA. It would seat close to 300 passengers and fly around 5,000 miles. It would aim to fill a gap between the Chicago-based plane maker's 737 narrowbody and the 787 Dreamliner long-range jet.

Boeing, the world's biggest plane maker by deliveries, said it was still finalizing the business case for what would be a multi-billion dollar project.

Airbus, Boeing's duopoly rival in the large passenger-aircraft market, has argued for some time it already has planes that cover the airliner segment Boeing would target with the new jet. Airbus is offering a long-range version of its A321neo single-aisle jetliner to carriers. Airlines wanting more seats, the company has said, could opt for the A330neo twin-aisle plane.

"Whatever they do, one thing is clear--there is no need for us to respond with new aircraft development. We will further improve the existing aircraft we have," Mr. Enders said at the Farnborough International Air Show.

Both the A321neo and the A330neo would be upgraded in coming years, he said, without specifying what improvements may be under development.

Mr. Enders also suggested the U.S. plane making rival may be struggling with the decision on whether to embark on the new development. "The other guys would have long [ago] launched the 'fabulous' middle-of-the-market aircraft if it was an easy decision," he said.

Write to Kiley Roache at kiley.roache@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 18, 2018 10:15 ET (14:15 GMT)

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