After winning four large orders with Chinese carriers last December, Airbus has now secured a major deal with state-owned China Eastern Airlines for planes with a combined sticker price of USD15.8 billion.
China Eastern has put in an order for 101 aircraft from Airbus’ A320neo family, including the A320neo, A321neo, and A321XLR, the Shanghai-based company announced yesterday, adding that the European plane maker will offer a substantial discount on their list prices.
Nine planes will be delivered in 2028, 19 in 2029, 30 in 2030, 27 in 2031, and 16 in 2032 to replace 53 A320s, which will exit China Eastern’s fleet because of expiring leases or aging.
The A320 is one of the world's most-used single-aisle passenger jets, with around 11,300 in service. More than 2,000 fly in China, accounting for nearly half of the country's civil aviation fleet. The A320neo is the next-generation upgrade.
The new jets, which are equipped with new engines and sharklets (high upward-curved wingtips), will boost China Eastern’s narrow-body plane capacity, cut fuel consumption and operating costs, help optimize its route network, and enhance the travel experience, China Eastern said.
The purchase reflects the carrier’s confidence in China’s civil aviation future and is part of advance fleet planning to support its strategy of 'flying far, flying internationally, and flying to emerging markets,’ while contributing to China’s carbon peak and neutrality goals, it added.
Airbus received four big orders from Chinese airlines at the end of last year. On Dec. 29, Juneyao Airlines and Spring Airlines announced orders for 25 A320 and 30 A320neo worth a total of USD8.2 billion. The day after, Air China said it had put in an order for 60 A320neo valued at about USD9.5 billion, while China Express Airlines said it ordered three A320 costing up to USD420 million.
China Eastern’s shares [SHA: 600115] closed 1.6 percent lower at CNY4.31 (62 US cents) apiece in Shanghai today, while its Hong Kong-traded shares [HKG: 0670] sank 4.7 percent to HKD3.69 (47 US cents). Global airline stocks have slumped since the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.
Base on this, 15th Annual Civil Aircraft Industry Eco-Conference 2025 will be held on May 14th-15th in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, China, The The forum e will focus on the successful market-oriented operation of domestic and international subcontracting activities. More than 400 are expected to attend, key enterprises across the civil aircraft manufacturing supply chain—including final assembly, sub-assembly, fuselage manufacturing, systems development, and outsourced component and machining services will be present. The forum aims to strengthen the civil aircraft industry chain through technical exchange and cooperation, and to help build a safer, more reliable and more economical supply chain system.
For more details of this event: https://www.wjx.top/vm/Y5bXHew.aspx#