TOULOUSE, France (Reuters) - The incoming chief executive of Europe's Airbus hinted on Monday at a decision next year on whether to launch the A321XLR, a longer-range version of its best-selling A321 single-aisle jet.
Asked on the sidelines of a delivery ceremony in Toulouse whether Airbus planned to launch the proposed new variant, planemaking chief and CEO-designate Guillaume Faury said: "I will be more precise in 2019."
He declined further comment on the reported project.
Reuters first reported in June that Airbus is considering adding extra endurance to the longest-range version of its A321 as part of efforts to pre-empt a potential new mid-market jet being studied by U.S. rival Boeing (N:BA).
Next year is also when Boeing intends to make a decision on the future of that project.
Airbus's proposed new A321XLR would carry extra fuel and expand the range of the A321LR aircraft, which recently claimed a long-distance record for single-aisle jets in testing.
Faury is due to step up from the planemaking business to replace Tom Enders as CEO of Europe's largest aerospace group in April 2019.