A China Eastern Airlines jet. The government-owned Chinese airline says it will buy 25 Airbus A330neo jets.
(Provided by Benson Yim/iStockPhotos)
China Eastern Airlines says it will buy 25 Airbus A330neo jets as part of a plan for the government-owned carrier to expand its international routes.
The aircraft will be delivered from 2029 to 2033. The planes have a list price over $9 billion, although volume discounts are common.
China eastern Airlines currently has 452 narrow-body and 56 widebody Airbus planes in service, and has orders for 155 A320neo and A321neo planes.
According to American Machinist, the planes would use Rolls-Royce engines as the company is the exclusive supplier of turbofan jet engines for the A330neo model. The A330neo is a more fuel-efficient version of the older Airbus A330 with improved aerodynamics.
In March, the airline signed a separate deal with Airbus to buy 101 A320neo for almost $16 billion. Reuters has reported that the Chinese government and Airbus have been in multiyear, ongoing talks regarding an order for 500 jets.
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