The Paris International Airshow was dominated this week by the Airbus A320neo, the upgraded, more fuel-efficient medium-haul workhorse which appeared to get the better of Boeing's venerable 737 series, the world's biggest-selling plane.

The medium-haul market is the most important segment of the aircraft industry, and Boeing estimates it will likely account for nearly half of all commercial airplane sales over the next 20 years.

But it is Airbus that is currently infringing on Boeing's home market.

The European planemaker celebrated the best week of sales in aviation history on Thursday, boasting of 730 orders for jets worth 50 billion euros ($ 72 billion) at the Paris International Airshow.