Price and availability take precedence over efficiency in Airbus A320neo and Boeing B737 MAX battle

It is easy to portray the new narrowbody marketplace of the Airbus A320neo and recently-launched B737 MAX as a battle between the two airframers to sell the most aircraft, an agenda the two propagate and play into. But such an outlook is irrelevant to the wider industry because the only battle for airlines is the one to find the right aircraft for their needs - and no aircraft will suit every airline since pricing, availability and commonality can override whatever single-digit percent gain the manufactures promise. The bottom line improvement is critical for cost-driven carriers to stay ahead of the competition, and they will continue to disproportionately lead initial sales.