This is an argument for smaller airplanes. There will never be an A380 again but also the larger twin isles may be be an endangered species.
The A321 XLR seems to be a harbinger of the future, smaller airplanes serving more city pairs point to point. Ultimately lower cost airlines will win out because flying is largely an undifferentiated product and connecting flights are just an opportunity to be left stranded somewhere. They add complexity and cost.
But in this scenario there is still the need for longer flights in larger planes and we're seeing that in A350s doing pairs like Perth-London or Singapore-New York. Even those are more economically marginal with the larger planes and making something somewhat smaller with a very long range makes more sense.
The A321 XLR seems to be a harbinger of the future, smaller airplanes serving more city pairs point to point. Ultimately lower cost airlines will win out because flying is largely an undifferentiated product and connecting flights are just an opportunity to be left stranded somewhere. They add complexity and cost.
But in this scenario there is still the need for longer flights in larger planes and we're seeing that in A350s doing pairs like Perth-London or Singapore-New York. Even those are more economically marginal with the larger planes and making something somewhat smaller with a very long range makes more sense.