High wing design provides more lift thank conventional wing design.
Also provides a more stability, which is just fine for a commercial aircraft (not a fighter).
Large turbofan engines are already very fuel efficient, but new materials, etc, will help eek out some additional efficiencies.
Everything here makes good monetary sense except the stupid comment about getting to net zero. That wont happen unless we just stop traveling.
High wing IS conventional ... for military transport.
With the wings on top, they may be able to use even higher bypass ratios without doing stupid things like making oval intakes.
This may well be a good idea. The wing loading will be much higher than has historically been normal for commercial aircraft. They’ll have to account for that in both design and maintenance.
“Net zero” is just bullcrap.
High wings are great.
Ever see a low wing bird?
The loss is that the wing structure does not protect the cabin from debris in an uncontained engine event.