I like where your head's at...you always gotta be watching your six around the boardroom types and all that...but I seriously doubt a multibillion dollar decades long fleet planning decision will hinge on the roughly 15-20 bucks per hour differential in total flight crew costs between 7ER and 320 rates.

Maybe it would if everything else were exactly equal, or at least within that cost range, but I highly doubt that is the case.

As for the 320 NEO, I doubt Boeing will (or can) come up with much more than 15% more efficient than the existing 320. If they barely exceed that, Airbus still wins big by offering a likely still common fleet with existing 320's both now and during a long future phase out period. Not to mention the 330 and maybe even the 350 (assuming they get it right and in our lifetimes) would be an added, massive bonus.

Boeing has fumbled on their own one yard line and turned the ball over regarding common cockpit while they were tripping all over themselves stroking off Southwest and Airbus may be about to score all over them and their stoopid tugboat control wheels. Of course that assumes they can convert in the red zone. They've been known to fumble a time or two as well. Either way competition is good for us, and its no longer limited to 2 or 3 legacy manufacturers.