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Xiaofei Xu

Airbus has secured an order for 55 aircraft from two Chinese airlines, including 15 widebody A350 jets, strengthening the European giant’s widebody sales in the world’s second-largest air transport market.
Air China, one of the country’s three major state-owned carriers, announced the deal on Friday. The flag carrier said it would purchase 15 A350-900 passenger jets, while its subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines would acquire 40 narrowbody A320neo aircraft.
The new-generation A350-900 and A320neo aircraft can help the two airlines optimise their fleets and route networks while lowering costs as they burn less fuel and cost less to operate than previous models.
The purchase also supported the company’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality targets amid the broader push towards decarbonisation in Chinese aviation, according to the statement.
The catalogue price for the 55 aircraft is US$12.4 billion but Airbus would grant both airlines “significant discounts,” making the actual price lower than the list price, according to the Air China statement. Sizeable discounts are common for big orders in the industry.
The deal was pending approval from the airline’s shareholders and the relevant state authorities, Air China said. The A350 aircraft would be delivered to Air China between 2030 and 2032, while the A320neo was scheduled to be delivered to Shenzhen Airlines between 2029 and 2032.
The order would boost Air China’s capacity by about 7.1 per cent and Shenzhen Airlines’ by 4.3 per cent, according to the statement.
With the announcement, Air China joined its state-owned peer China Eastern Airlines, which announced last month it would purchase 25 A330neo widebody jets from Airbus.
Airbus has enjoyed a run of success with buyers in China, building on the momentum that followed state visits by French President Emmanuel Macron in December and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in February.
Boeing, its American competitor, has since regained some footing, securing a significant order from China after US President Donald Trump’s high-stakes meeting with President Xi Jinping. According to Trump, Beijing committed to purchasing no fewer than 200 Boeing aircraft along with 450 engines from General Electric, with the potential for the agreement to expand to 750 planes over time.
While Boeing confirmed an initial 200-jet commitment, the Chinese government’s announcement stopped short of citing any numbers.


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Air China says it will purchase 15 widebody A350-900 jets, while subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines will buy 40 narrowbody A320neo aircraft


Air China says it will purchase 15 widebody A350-900 jets, while subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines will buy 40 narrowbody A320neo aircraft.


Airbus sells 55 aircraft – including 15 widebody A350s – to 2 Chinese airlines

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Air China says it will purchase 15 widebody A350-900 jets, while subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines will buy 40 narrowbody A320neo aircraft

Air China says it will purchase 15 widebody A350-900 jets, while subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines will buy 40 narrowbody A320neo aircraft