Launching the A220-500 would allow airlines to move smaller routes to the A220, freeing up assembly lines for the more profitable A321neo. Related Continuing To Build On A Clean Sheet Design: Improvements Coming To A220 Family Airbus is investing in the A220 to make it even more competitive. The Airbus A220-500 is sometimes referred to as a '737 MAX killer' because it targets one of Boeing's most profitable segments with a newer, lighter, and more efficient design. A 5-10% fuel efficiency advantage for these routes would make the A220-500 a major profit booster for MAX 8 operators. The current number of seats puts it in the category as far as passenger capacity is concerned, enabling the smaller Airbus to slot directly into the same role,