Chinese airlines prepare to split massive pending order for Airbus jets

If completed as anticipated, this would become the largest aircraft order ever placed by Chinese airlines. It would surpass a previous record set in July 2022 when Chinese carriers ordered 292 Airbus A320 family jets. At present, Airbus holds a strong position within these fleets; all three major Chinese airlines operate large numbers of its aircraft alongside models from Boeing and COMAC.

Media reports also indicate that Boeing is close to reaching an agreement with China for up to 500 commercial jets. This potential deal comes after several challenging years for Boeing in China following issues such as the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX. Industry observers note that growing demand for new planes reflects both fleet renewal needs and ongoing expansion within China's aviation sector as domestic manufacturer Comac continues efforts to increase production capacity.

According to ch-aviation data, China Southern Airlines leads with a fleet of 677 aircraft—386 from Airbus, 253 from Boeing, and 35 from COMAC. China Eastern Airlines operates 671 planes: it is a major operator of Airbus jets (466), but also flies Boeing (166), COMAC (38), and one Gulfstream G650ER. Air China’s fleet totals 530 aircraft including 283 from Airbus, 207 from Boeing, and 40 from COMAC.

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