Core Viewpoint - Multiple domestic airlines in China have signed significant aircraft purchase agreements with Airbus, totaling 148 A320 series aircraft, indicating a strong demand for narrow-body planes despite current market challenges [3][8]. Group 1: Aircraft Orders - China National Airlines and its subsidiary signed an agreement to purchase 60 A320neo aircraft, with a total list price of approximately $9.53 billion, scheduled for delivery between 2028 and 2032 [5]. - Spring Airlines and Juneyao Airlines announced orders for 30 and 25 A320neo aircraft, respectively, with total prices of up to $4.128 billion and approximately $4.1 billion, to be delivered from 2028 to 2032 [6]. - China Aircraft Leasing Company ordered 30 A320neo aircraft, with deliveries planned before 2033 [7]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - Airbus has secured a total of 148 aircraft orders from China in a short period, reflecting a growing trend of large orders from Chinese airlines [8]. - By 2025, Airbus is expected to hold a market share of over 55% in China, making it the largest single-country market for the company [9]. - The global second-largest aircraft leasing company, Avolon, indicated that popular aircraft models like the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo are sold out by 2030, highlighting strong demand [9]. Group 3: Operational Challenges - The recent aircraft orders may be a strategic move to secure aircraft availability and mitigate operational challenges caused by engine shortages, which have led to increased grounded aircraft [11]. - The International Air Transport Association reported that over 5,000 aircraft are currently grounded, the highest level in history, exacerbated by supply chain issues due to U.S.-China trade tensions [11]. - Despite the current overcapacity in the domestic market, the introduction of new aircraft is slowing, with the fleet size growing at a compound annual growth rate of 2.6% from 2019 to 2025 [12]. Group 4: Aircraft Type Trends - The introduction of wide-body aircraft has nearly stagnated, with only a net increase of 4 aircraft from 2019 to 2025, primarily due to slow recovery in international routes [13]. - The domestic market is seeing a shift towards narrow-body aircraft, with significant increases in new models like the A320neo and B737 MAX, while older models are being phased out [12][13]. - The share of domestic aircraft in the fleet has increased from 1.3% in 2019 to 4.5%, indicating a growing presence of domestic manufacturers in the narrow-body market [13].
中国航司年末集体订购148架飞机