swh,
If you want to believe an Airbus sales pitch over the perfectly reasonable assumption that larger fans and bigger wings weigh more, then that's your prerogative.
Hiding the weight gain within a current MTOW increase does not change the fact that the OEW is going up. As it does, the aircraft loses some of its effectiveness on short range missions, and I seriously doubt CX will be an A330NEO buyer. Notice how, according to you, they have opted to take the 235T version thus far. Why do you suppose that is? You think CX wants a reengined, 25 year old plane carrying fewer pax, less cargo, and weighing ~10T more than the alternative? OK, sure. That makes perfect sense.
Note that I am not saying the A330NEO won't be a good aircraft, it will. Airbus is taking its most successful widebody and improving it. It will be a very efficient aircraft. It just cannot be as efficient as aircraft with newer technology weighing 10T less (787 and A350). That's it and that's all.
A330NEO is a knee jerk relation to a failed A350 strategy (A358 is dead)
Airbus A350-800 dealt another setback | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times
designed to preserve market share from Boeing's two pronged attack with the 787 and 777X. It crowds the offerings of aircraft its size and is sure to put pricing pressure on both A350 and 787. Why else would Airbus announce the NEO now in 2014 when this is essentially an A350M1 offering circa 2006? The 787 program is finally coming to fruition with a successful -9 launch and a simple stretch for the -10.
Boeing beavers away on 787-10 Dreamliner - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller
If I were Airbus, I'd be crapping my shorts too. A 25 year old design to compete on the small end (787-8/-9) and nothing up top to compete with the 777-9.
http://airchive.com/blog/wp-content/...ng-graphic.jpg
Here is an interesting comment wrt the purchase pricing for these NEOs...
BRIEF-Delta comments on outlook, possible aircraft buy
"High 70s, low 80s." What!?! Are we shopping on a used car lot?