Most airliners will rely on traditional jet engines until at least 2050, Airbus told European Union officials in a briefing released on Thursday on its research into creating zero-emissions hydrogen fueled planes.
The planemaker says it plans to develop the world's first zero-emission commercial aircraft by 2035, but has not publicly said whether the technology will be ready for the replacement for the medium-haul A320, due to be rolled out in the 2030s.
February's briefing to EU officials appeared to rule this out.