Boeing sees airline thirst for new mid-range jetliner family

Boeing is seeing strong airline interest in a new mid-range aircraft on its drawing board, bolstering the case for its biggest potential product development of the next 10 years. No current-generation aircraft are specifically designed for long flights within a region, like the 7-hour trek from Tokyo to Singapore, said Ray Conner, CE of Boeing’s commercial aircraft unit. “There is clearly a market desire or need,” Conner said. For more than a decade, Boeing has studied a series of aircraft options for addressing the so-called middle of the market -- a relatively untapped segment where Airbus is starting to extend its reach. But after intensive conversations with leading airlines and lessors, Boeing sounds increasingly confident that it’s close to a solution. <br/>