The first mystery we can address is what happened to the designations in between A340 and A380. Airbus apparently conducted some sort of market research when looking for a name for its latest product, originally known as the A3XX. Immediately eliminated was the designation A370 since the number 7 is so often associated with rival Boeing. For whatever reasons, the numbers A350 and A360 were also deemed unpopular and appear to have been skipped, perhaps permanently. A380 was eventually selected primarily because the cross-sectional shape of the fuselage resembles the digit 8, but also because 8 is considered a special number in Asian cultures, the primary market at which the A380 is aimed. As for future projects, it was mentioned earlier that the A300/A310 series is nearing the end of its production run, and a replacement for this class of airliner is the most probable candidate. The company is considering a number of different options, including a stretched variant of the A320, known as the A322, or a shortened variant of the A330, dubbed the A330-500. However, a more likely possibility is a completely new class of airliners to fill the gap between the narrow-body A320 and widebody A330. If built, this class of airliners would probably include a shorter-range 200-passenger model and a longer-range 250-passenger model, both with a tentative service entry around 2010. This class of airliners has tentatively been named the A305, and no plans have yet been announced for any A390. Airbus has in fact committed to this new airliner, but it was given the designation A350 instead of A305. Again, this decision appears to have been made purely for marketing reasons as Airbus wanted to emphasize that the A350 is a new design and not merely an update to the aging A300 family.
Though this answer has included a number of possibilities and been vague on what might actually happen, you must remember that Boeing and Airbus are bitter rivals who purposefully obfuscate their intentions to keep each other off balance and maintain their competitive edge. As a result, we really have no idea what projects they might actually decide to pursue or when. We can only make our best educated guesses as to where the airline market is going and what classes of aircraft are likely to be in demand.
Though this answer has included a number of possibilities and been vague on what might actually happen, you must remember that Boeing and Airbus are bitter rivals who purposefully obfuscate their intentions to keep each other off balance and maintain their competitive edge. As a result, we really have no idea what projects they might actually decide to pursue or when. We can only make our best educated guesses as to where the airline market is going and what classes of aircraft are likely to be in demand.
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