A Boeing executive has dismissed rumors that the aerospace manufacturing company is planning to redesign one of its mid-size jet.
It’s no secret that Boeing is currently developing a new mid-size jet. While the company hasn’t officially released many details of the new jet, sources say that it will support between 220 and 270 passengers, and it will also feature an elliptical-shaped fuselage for improved aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. Of course, a 270-passenger capacity is pretty impressive, but the downside is that it has limited space for cargo. As a result, some Asian airlines have voiced concerns regarding Boeing’s upcoming mid-size jets, believing the aerospace manufacturing company should redesign it for increased cargo space.
Redesigning Boeing’s upcoming mid-size with increased cargo space could potentially allow airlines to make more money. Airlines earn money from flights in two primary ways: selling tickets to passengers and transporting cargo. In some cases, the latter can prove more lucrative for airlines. This has led some aviation experts to believe that Boeing is redesigning its new mid-size jet to include less passenger space and more cargo space.
But it appears that Boeing isn’t going to redesign its upcoming mid-size jet with increased cargo space. A senior executive for Boeing recently dismissed rumors of a potential redesign, saying that Boeing has no desire to design a jet for increased cargo space, because doing so would make it less efficient while also lowering its passenger capacity.
“We don’t want to over design an airplane just to carry belly cargo, especially when I can make an airplane that becomes more efficient delivering and carrying passengers”, said Randy Tinseth, president of marketing for Boeing’s commercial planes, in an interview with Reuters.
So, why are so many airlines concerned about cargo space? Well, not all airlines want or need increased cargo space. However, Asian airlines are placing an emphasis on cargo space because of the region’s growing e-commerce sales. According to Statistica, the Asian e-commerce market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 11.3% through 2022. To transport these packages, companies need the support of airlines.
It’s important to note that Boeing is still trying to decide whether to launch the new mid-size jet. During the interview, Randy Tinseth said that Boeing has contacted 50 airlines, and that many of them approved of the plane’s design. However, there’s still no official word on when or even if Boeing will launch the new mid-size plane. Assuming it is launched, though, it will likely feature a high passenger capacity with low cargo space.
