Dérivé 787 medium range ?

Boeing Co. BA +0.11% is studying the feasibility of a medium-range jetliner that is similar in size to its flagship 787 long-haul jets because of strong customer interest, its top commercial aircraft salesman said Tuesday.

The U.S. aircraft manufacturing giant hasn't developed a successor to its midrange Boeing 757 jets, which seat up to 230 passengers, since the company stopped production of the popular plane in 2004, though hundreds are still flying today.

Instead, Boeing has in recent years focused more on revamping its highly successful but smaller 737 series jets and on its long-haul widebodies, such as the 787s and the 777s. But some customers are now asking about a possible midrange option.

"There may be a marketplace...in an airplane that doesn't have the range capability of a 787...but in the size category of 200 to 300 seats," said John Wojick, who heads global sales of commercial aircraft at Boeing, at the Singapore Airshow.

Mr. Wojick said there are many markets in Asia with routes between 4,000 and 5,000 miles in length that would suit such a midrange plane. However, he said the aircraft maker remains in "the study phase and the customer requirement phase" and no decisions have been made on whether to proceed.

"We've got an awful lot of discussions to go with our customers on what the size of that market may be and what kind of interest there is," said Mr. Wojick, noting that this is one of many studies Boeing is undertaking on new aircraft.