The author gives in this paper some thoughts on how to respond to the future travelling public expectations, viz to fly in greener aircraft with access to their digital world in flight with the best level of quality and comfort. Airbus is ready to take on these challenges but the question is: “will the EU be alongside Airbus in the endeavour?” Various examples of Airbus innovations are presented: fly-by-wire A320, double-deck A380, brake-to-vacate technology, ALCAS (Advanced Low Cost Aircraft Structures), ‘MAAXIMUS’ project for novel and cost effective composite structures, active participation in Clean Sky, leadership of the Smart Fixed Wing Aircraft (SFWA) technology demonstrator, etc. Airbus has proposed a concept plane to help crystallise its modern ideas and shape them in a communicable form. Innovation has become the major competitive differentiator.