RE:CS500CS500 was bbd dream to break into 320/737 duopoly and it back fired. They created the cs100 to leap over E-jets and market it as a plane just above the regional crj 1000. Cs300 with 130/150 seats got the wrong kind of attention from AB/BA as a big threat even as bbd tried to downplay it and said it doesn’t compete with 737/320. The range of cs300 crouched into 320/737 domain. AB publicly acknowledges that neo was made to counter cs300. Bbd didn’t have the financial might or influence on supply chain to bring c series price down. These are same suppliers to AB/BA so most went to fill AB/BA orders.
now with a220 in AB hands it’s up to them to decide what to do with it. Eventually neo will have to be replaced but it already has same new engines as a220. Engine drive most of the efficiency so until GTF v2 comes out I don’t see AB doing changes to neo. And why would they it’s a cash cow for them.
a220-500 can replace 320neo and stretched 321/322 to fill the NMA role. In my much earlier post I had said the same and have a220-1/3/500 and A320/1/2/LR etc to complete the narrow body. But come to think of it why would AB put money into 220-500 when they can keep selling A320neo. This is also what airlines would want as crew training, maintenance and parts will be more common on 320neo with other AB products and with original 320.
whatever replaces 737 max with new engines can also be used to refresh A320neo. As much as I would like to see a220 evolve I think it will have same fair as DC-9, MD-88/90 etc which never replaced 737 but sat one size below it.