The A330 Decision, Blunt and Parry Sward Play

Airbus is in the final decision mode for the A330 NEO. They want to Block the 787 with what that they have an A330 Blunting action, and parry forth with orders behind it. Except there is no indication they have a load of orders to back up the announcement this July 14th, at the Airshow at Farnborough. It is not in Airbus' fashion not to mark an important airshow without substantial orders numbers of the puffing nature, which were banked- up over the last six months. Therefore, I would assume they don't have order numbers assembled to make the announcement during Farnborough Airshow. They are only talking about A330 NEO potential as a threat. They are seeking orders for this venture, before puffing at a News conference at Farnborough.

No orders no announcement. Can you imagine Boeing the 787-10 without any anchor orders?  Would an order order #20 A330 NEO's do?  Ahh NO!

The discussion is not hung up on monetary markets or Airbus cash flows (lack of), but on the fact there is no preliminary announcements of any customers considering the A330 NEO as an "unidentified customer prospectus order". Airbus does not want a Fly-By- Night Airline company wanting 50 A330 NEO. Its nature is having an Airline company with Gravitas announcing a 100 A330 NEO Order, someone like Etihad or Qatar. Ordering is frozen on an old frames with New engines. The 787 team speaks with some authority that they can make the 787 anyway you want it under 330 passengers. Boeing is gaining a position for competitive pricing point as proof of design and production questions have been removed from the sales pitch. If Airbus can make a far cheaper upgraded A330 NEO, they should do it, and not wait for additional information coming from the market place. The airplane war then should culminate.  However, they are pausing because they are unsure to start a battle they can't win. The A350-800 failure left them dangling in a precarious position where the reserves from the A330th unit have come up to bail-out the Airbus Blunder. They cannot announce the A330 NEO, because it gains corporate embarrassment, which is the same as defeat in the Art of War.

Luarel and Hardy finally realize "the fine fix they are in". Airbus gets caught in its own threat of building a "Tin Lizzy" complete with Sharklets (blunt) without even a hint of orders (Parry).  The audience may start laughing on cue.

If Airbus does have confirmed orders, then it is time to thrust forward on The Boeing 787. The Airbus swash buckling episode is reacting a climax. The questions is still in play, are its customers willing to come to its rescue on the NEO? Does Airbus have courage to consummate the idea? No on those questions.

REFILE-UPDATE 1-Airbus says "jury still out" on A330neo airshow launch

 Airbus is looking for a way out on the A330 Neo before announcing anything.