China’s second biggest airline has placed a big order worth nearly $10 billion for 35 new jets.
China Eastern Airlines will split the order between the two big plane makers with 15 787-9 Boeing Dreamliners and 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, it said in a Stock Exchange filing.
The Airbus deal is worth about $5.96 billion and $3.9 billion for the Dreamliners based on list prices.
"The addition of these next generation, and fuel-efficient airplanes will play a key role in supporting China Eastern’s strategy for international expansion, and enable us to realize profits in point-to-point routes across the Pacific Ocean, and between China and Europe," said China Eastern Airlines’ chairman Liu Shaoyong.
China Eastern announced recent plans to boost its fleet size from the current 561 planes to about 800.
Airbus’ latest market forecast said China will need more than 5,000 new aircraft over the next two decades, representing about 17% of the global market.
