Chinese flag carrier Air China and subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines have ordered a combined 55 new aircraft from Airbus, strengthening the European manufacturer’s hold on the world’s second-largest aviation market.
According to recent filings with the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Air China agreed to buy 15 A350-900 widebody jets, while Shenzhen will acquire 40 A320neo-family narrowbody airplanes. The combined order has a list price of around $12.4 billion, Reuters reported.
The aircraft are expected to be delivered between 2029 and 2032.
Air China said it will get a discount from Airbus due to the size of the order.
Airbus has outsold Boeing in China for around a decade as regulatory friction between Beijing and Washington has grown. The temporary grounding of the 737 MAX also made Airbus’ narrowbody offerings more appealing to Chinese carriers.
The Chinese government agreed to buy 200 aircraft from Boeing during a state visit from President Donald Trump in May, but prior to that, the country’s last significant commercial order from the company was in 2017.
China typically buys civilian aircraft in large numbers and distributes them to state-run airlines later based on growth plans and business needs.
