Airbus is in line for a multi-billion aircraft order from one of China’s largest airlines, according to a statement by China Eastern Airlines. The state-owned carrier’s recent filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange indicates it plans to buy 25 A330neo aircraft for delivery between 2029 and 2033.
The filing noted that the new jets will modernize and extend its current aircraft fleet.
China Eastern Airlines is a longstanding Airbus customer, with 452 narrow-body and 56 widebody Airbus jets in service, and 155 A320neo and A321neo on order.
Airbus has not yet announced the new order, nor has Rolls-Royce, the exclusive supplier of turbofan jet engines for the A330neo. According to one report, the carrier has indicated Chinese civil aviation authorities have not yet approved the purchase.
The A330neo is a widebody, twin-engine aircraft introduced in 2018 as a revision to the previous A330 to extend more fuel-efficiency thanks to the Trent 7000 engines and other aerodynamic improvements, as well as more passenger amenities for long-haul routes.
The value of the investment was not stated in the filing, though reports estimated the purchase at $9.35 billion based on the book value of the aircraft. The additional cost of Rolls’ Trent 7000 engines would add as much as $2 billion to the total investment.
The actual cost of China Eastern’s acquisitions would likely lower thanks to volume discounts.
