Airbus Announces Chinese Deal for 100 New Aircraft

© AP Photo / Frederic LancelotThe A320neo (new engine option), is the most modern version of the aircraft, which boasts fuel savings of 20 percent per seat compared to the ceo (current engine option) version.
The A320neo (new engine option), is the most modern version of the aircraft, which boasts fuel savings of 20 percent per seat compared to the ceo (current engine option) version. - Sputnik International
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The total number of Airbus planes delivered or slated for delivery to China Aircraft Leasing Company (CALC) reached 140.

MOSCOW, November 6 (RIA Novosti) — Airbus has announced a preliminary contract to supply the China Aircraft Leasing Company (CALC) with 100 A320 airplanes, in a deal worth around $10.2 billion.

“When a leading leasing company, CALC, serving customers in the world’s fastest growing, dynamic aviation market, orders more of our popular A320 Family aircraft, we take that as a strong signal of the continuing long-term success of our best-selling product line,” said Airbus Customers COO John Leahy  in a press release the French manufacturer released today.

The deal is for three different kinds of Airbus planes, and brings the total number of Airbus planes delivered or slated for delivery to CALC to 140. The latest batch of 100 includes 74 A320neo, 16 A320ceo and 10 A321ceo planes.

The A320neo (new engine option), is the most modern version of the aircraft, which boasts fuel savings of 20 percent per seat compared to the ceo (current engine option) version. The plane is one of the fastest-ever selling lines of aircraft, with Airbus having already received 3,257 orders from 60 customers as of August 2014.

The new plane completed its first test flight on September 25 this year, and is expected to enter into service for the first time with Qatar Airways in the final quarter of 2015, after a 3,000 hour flight test program.

The short to medium-range narrow-body A320ceo planes, which seat from 150 to 180 passengers, are a staple of passenger air travel; the first flew in 1987. The larger A321ceo can seat 185 to 220 passengers, and made its first flight in 1993.

The order from China reflects increasing demand from Asia, the fastest-growing airplane market. In 2009 Airbus established an assembly facility in Tianjin, China, its first outside Europe. The company also has European assembly plants in Hamburg and Toulouse, and has plans to open a new production facility in Alabama in 2015.

Economic growth in Asia is spurring greater demand for air travel, with figures from the International Air Transport Association showing it had the biggest year on year increase in passenger traffic compared to other regions. The head of aircraft trading at CALC, Jens Dunker, told Bloomberg that global demand is also surging. “Airlines are now prepared to wait six to eight years for an aircraft. Some 80 percent of current-generation planes need to be replaced by new aircraft in the coming years.”

The announcement follows CALC’s July listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange, making it the first plane leasing company to do so. The Wall Street Journal reported that the company was seeking to raise funds with the aim of doubling its fleet to 64 by the end of 2016. The company’s Chief Executive Mike Poon told the paper that in addition to the need to replace older aircraft in Europe, a proliferation of budget carriers in Asia was driving the market.

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