China Eastern buys 25 A330neo widebody jets as domestic interest rises in Airbus’ wings
Multibillion-dollar deal marks first Chinese widebody win for the planemaker since 2025, following high-level visits from Paris and Berlin
China Eastern Airlines has ordered 25 A330neo widebody jets from Airbus, marking the planemaker’s first major long-haul order from a Chinese carrier since last year, as the nation continues to favour the European manufacturer.
The list price of the 25 aircraft is about US$9.35 billion, but China Eastern said in a statement on Friday that it had obtained a “substantial price discount” from Airbus, making the actual cost significantly less than the catalogue price.
The Shanghai-based carrier expects the fuel-efficient jets to reduce fuel costs and support carbon-neutrality goals while expanding its international network.
Sizeable discounts are common on big orders in the industry.