Air Algérie adds two ultra-long Airbus A330neo routes linking Algeria with China

Air Algérie recently adjusted its fleet plans by dropping an order for Airbus A350-1000s in favor of consolidating its widebody replacement program around the A330-900. The airline now has eight A330-900s on order. Its submitted configuration shows a total of 308 seats: “18 in business, 24 in premium economy, and 266 in economy.” The actual configuration may vary once deliveries begin.

The inaugural service for the new aircraft type is expected to operate from Algiers to Guangzhou on October 27. While airlines often use short-haul routes for initial crew training when introducing new aircraft types or variants, Air Algérie may not require extensive familiarization since it already operates the similar A330-200 model.

Air Algérie’s current fleet includes eight aging A330-200s averaging over sixteen years old. These are set to be replaced by the newer models which offer lower fuel consumption and improved onboard products but come with higher ownership costs due to their newness.

The demand for travel between Algeria and China is significant. From August 2024 through July 2025, more than 190,000 passengers traveled between the two countries. This high volume reflects expanding economic relations between Algeria and China—including large-scale investments—and a resident Chinese population exceeding forty thousand in Algeria. These ties are further strengthened by political cooperation within initiatives such as China’s Belt and Road project.

On existing connections such as Algiers–Guangzhou (with over seventy thousand round-trip local passengers), Qatar Airways held a leading market share via Doha at forty-two percent; Turkish Airlines followed at thirty percent via Istanbul. Direct flights between Algiers and Beijing have been offered since 2008, carrying sixty-eight thousand passengers annually; Shanghai ranked third among destinations from Algeria.

“18 in business, 24 in premium economy, and 266 in economy.”