Boeing is likely to respond within two to three years to Airbus's A320NEO launch with a 737NG.
That is the assessment of industry analyst Phil Seymour of aviation consultancy IBA, who reckons that while Boeing could hold off until 2015, an earlier move is likely: "The issue is very complex and there is a long way to go until [NEO] delivery [in 2016]. Boeing can't follow immediately, so they will probably launch an all new 737NG for delivery in 2020."
Airbus will not follow Boeing with an all-new A320-class aircraft until into the 2020s, as it will not want to see its current backlogs cut too much and, Seymour predicts, certification will prove to be more arduous than Airbus is suggesting.
Source: Flight International
