China Eastern Airlines to purchase 25 aircraft from Airbus for $9.35 billion

China Eastern Airlines has reached a large-scale purchase agreement with Airbus in line with its goal of renewing its wide-body aircraft fleet and increasing its capacity. Under the agreement, the company will procure 25 new-generation wide-body passenger aircraft.

In a filing to the stock exchange, it was stated that the total value of the aircraft based on factory list prices is $9.35 billion. However, it was noted that due to discounts commonly applied to large orders in the aviation industry, the final payment amount for China Eastern will be lower than the list prices.

Deliveries of the new aircraft are planned to begin in 2029 and be completed gradually by 2033. The aircraft joining the fleet are expected to support the company's operations on long-haul routes and contribute to the renewal of its existing wide-body aircraft inventory.

China Eastern Airlines stated that this investment is aimed at maintaining operational efficiency and increasing its competitive power. The new-generation aircraft are intended to provide advantages over older models in terms of fuel consumption and maintenance costs.

The recovery in global passenger traffic and the increase in demand for intercontinental flights are leading major airlines to accelerate their fleet investments. China Eastern's Airbus order has become one of the prominent steps in capacity planning by Asia-based carriers during this period.