- Endorsement pushes Airbus’ A350 XWB firm order book above 800
France | April 29, 2016– China Eastern Airlines has signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for 20 A350-900 aircraft, making the airline the latest customer for the aircraft.
“The introduction of the latest generation A350 XWB aircraft demonstrates that the partnership between China Eastern Airlines and Airbus has embarked on a new phase. The introduction of A350 XWB will play a very important role in promoting our operational capability, profitability and service brand on our international long haul routes and opening a new chapter in the international development of China Eastern Airlines,” said Liu Shaoyong, Chairman of China Eastern Airlines.
“We are proud to welcome China Eastern Airlines, a long time and loyal Airbus partner, to become the latest airline to select the A350 XWB,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer – Customers. “The outstanding A350’s long haul performance, fuel efficiency and passenger comfort with its extra wide cabin and wider-seats, will allow China Eastern Airlines to achieve its ambitions to develop and efficiently expand its international route network.”
China Eastern Airlines operates one of the largest Airbus fleet in the world with nearly 300 Airbus aircraft in service, comprising A320 Family and A330 Family.
The A350 XWB is the world’s latest generation airliner and the newest member of Airbus’ modern, comfortable & efficient wide-body product family. It features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. For passengers the extra-wide cabin offers more personal space in all classes, including 18-inch wide seats as standard in economy class.
With this latest order, Airbus has recorded 803 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 43 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful wide-body aircraft ever. So far 20 A350 XWBs have been delivered to five customers worldwide.
Seattle | July 9, 2015– Boeing [NYSE: BA] is delighted with China Eastern Airlines’ decision to purchase 50 Next-Generation 737-800s as stated in their public disclosure to the Hong Kong stock exchange today.
The airplanes will be operated by China United Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the China Eastern Airlines, and other branches and subsidiaries of the carrier.
The order will be posted on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website once all contingencies are cleared.
Beijing, Shanghai and Lake Forest, CA | July 24, 2014– In a first for the commercial aviation industry in China, China Eastern Airlines (CEA) has begun offering broadband connected flights over China using China Telecom Satellite aeronautical service and Panasonic Avionics Corporation’s (Panasonic) eXConnect system.
The first of 27 CEA aircraft equipped with a system and service tailored to the unique requirements of China is an Airbus A330 aircraft. Onboard, passengers will experience true broadband Wi-Fi as they surf the web, keep in touch with friends and family through their social networks, and even check their email – all at 35,000 feet. CEA has also selected China Telecom Satellite’s service and Panasonic’s eXConnect system for an additional six B767s and 20 B777 aircraft.
The first aircraft has been dedicated to routes between Shanghai and Beijing, allowing government agencies to observe operation of the service before granting full regulatory approval for operation on additional domestic and international routes.
China Eastern Airlines said, “We are very excited to offer this extremely exciting service with China Telecom Satellite and Panasonic Avionics. This is an tremendous milestone for China and we look forward to ensuring our passengers are both entertained and productive as they fly.”
Lv Junli, President of China Telecom Satellite added, “This is a momentous day for China’s commercial airline industry, and we are very confident of providing better broadband connectivity to China with our partners at China Eastern Airlines and Panasonic.”
According to Paul Margis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics, “After years of close collaboration with China Eastern Airlines and China Telecom Satellite, we are now witnessing the next step in the evolution of in-flight entertainment over China. We are very excited to bring in-flight broadband Wi-Fi to this strategic market.”
Seattle, WA | June 13, 2014– Boeing [NYSE: BA] is pleased that China Eastern Airlines has committed to purchase 80 737s, including Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX airplanes. When finalized, the order will become China’s largest-ever purchase by an airline for single-aisle airplanes, worth more than $8 billion at current list prices.
“We look forward to making history with China Eastern as they are poised to make the largest purchase for single-aisle airplanes by a Chinese airline,” said Ihssane Mounir, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Northeast Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We share an enduring partnership with China Eastern and we are excited to see that the 737 family of airplanes will play an important role in their continued success.”
The order will be posted on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website once all contingencies are cleared
– First in Chin to benefit from more fuel savings
May 17, 2013– China’s largest operator of Airbus aircraft, China Eastern Airlines, has taken delivery of its first A320 aircraft equipped with Sharklet fuel saving wing-tip devices, becoming China’s first carrier to do so. The aircraft is also the first Sharklets equipped A320 assembled and delivered in Tianjin.
The A320, powered by IAE V2500 engines, features a comfortable two class cabin, seating 158 passengers with eight in business class and 150 in economy. The A320 will make its first commercial flight from Shanghai to Dalian on May 18.
“As the first and biggest Airbus customer in China, China Eastern and Airbus have long-term good cooperation. China Eastern is honored to be the first customer of A320 with sharklets in China. In the near future, China Eastern will further expand our sharklet equipped A320 family fleet”, said Shu Mingjiang, Vice President Flight Operations, China Eastern.
“We are delighted that China Eastern Airlines has taken delivery of its first Sharklet equipped A320. It is a mark of our close ties that the biggest Airbus fleet operator in China is also the first Chinese carrier to benefit from up to four per cent reduction in fuel costs”, said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.
Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall. They are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft and standard on all members of the new A320neo family. They offer operators up to four per cent fuel burn reduction on longer range sectors and provide the flexibility of either adding an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.
China Eastern is one of the largest airlines in China and is the first Chinese airline operating Airbus aircraft in 1985. Now it operates an Airbus fleet of over 230 aircraft including A300s, A319s, A320s, A321s, A330s and A340s.
Airbus Tianjin Delivery Centre has delivered 126 aircraft since June 2009 and it plans to deliver 46 aircraft in total in 2013.
In-flight entertainment and related technologies, such as onboard Internet access, are critically important to the passengers I speak with every day. An authoritative resource about the latest developments in the in-flight entertainment industry will lead to better products and happier customers.”