Airbus and China Aviation Supplies Holding Company have signed a General Terms Agreement covering a total of 300 Airbus aircraft.
Airbus and China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS) have signed a General Terms Agreement (GTA) covering the purchase by Chinese airlines of a total of 300 Airbus aircraft.
The GTA was signed in Paris, France by Guillaume Faury, president of Airbus Commercial Aircraft and future Airbus CEO; and Jia Baojun, chairman of CAS; in the presence of visiting Chinese president Xi Jinping and French president Emmanuel Macron.
The GTA comprises 290 A320 Family aircraft and 10 A350 XWB Family aircraft. The deal does not include any A330neos despite the presence of an A330 Completion and Delivery Centre (C&DC) in Tianjin, next to the Chinese A320 assembly line.
No information has been offered on delivery schedules, and it is not clear how many of the aircraft are firm orders. Airbus describes the deal in terms of an "expanded partnership" with China. Airbus signed an MoU with the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC) in January 2018 on the further development of industrial cooperation in Tianjin.
According to Airbus’ latest China Market Forecast 2018 to 2037, China will need some 7,400 new passenger and freighter aircraft in the next 20 years. It represents more than 19% of the world total demand for over 37,400 new aircraft.
As of 31st January, the in-service Airbus fleet with Chinese operators totaled some 1,730 aircraft, including 1,455 from the A320 Family and 17 A350s.