Electric and hydrogen aircraft dominate headlines, but they solve different problems. Battery-electric propulsion suits short regional hops where weight is manageable; hydrogen offers range without the carbon, at the cost of new storage and airport infrastructure.
Neither will replace long-haul jets soon. The energy density gap between jet fuel and batteries is enormous, and hydrogen logistics are in their infancy. But for short routes, change is already arriving.
The future of flight is likely plural: batteries for the short, hydrogen for the medium, and cleaner liquid fuels for the long haul.