Cubs2jets ;
it is reasonable to think that in the future they will exceed their previous highs
I remember a presentation made by he then CEO of Total when Fuel was approaching 100 $ a barrel a few years back . A slide of his presentation showed a bell shape and the point of no return when demand will exceed capacity .
With population raising and emerging economies like India and China expanding and relying on fossile fuels,that peak production point will drive prices up to the point where products which are cheap today will no longer be affordable and disappear. Cheap air travel will be one of them
The decision to go ahead with the A380 was made by AI according such assomption.
As you said, when this will happen is of course the billion $ question , but it will happen this century.
All this research to develop and market fuel reductions in jet engines do make lots of sense.