Airbus and the Chinese aviation industry signed a new collaboration agreement on Thursday that will mean practically doubling the capacity of its factory in that country, as well as the future delivery of 160 aircraft from the French company to the airlines of this country.
The agreement was signed on the occasion of a French state visit to China, which was attended by the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, as well as representatives of the companies involved.
Airbus currently has four A320 Family aircraft assembly plants around the world: Hamburg (Germany), Toulouse (France), Mobile (USA) and Tianjin (China). The latter started operating in 2008 and, to date, has assembled more than 600 aircraft.
Thanks to this latest agreement, Airbus will almost double its capacity at this plant in China, which will allow it to reach its goal of manufacturing 75 aircraft per month worldwide by 2026, compared to 43 in 2022. Likewise, the collaboration between France and China will result in new orders for Airbus by Chinese airlines for up to 160 aircraft. Over the next 20 years, China's air traffic is forecast to grow by 5.3% per year, prompting a demand for 8,420 passenger planes through 2041.
Airbus entered the Chinese market almost 40 years ago, in 1985, when it first delivered an A310 to China Eastern Airlines. By the end of the first quarter of 2023, the Airbus fleet in service in China has grown to more than 2,100 aircraft, representing more than 50% of the market.
In parallel, Airbus has just received an order from Azerbaijan Airlines to manufacture 12 A320neo family aircraft, including both A320neo and A321neo model aircraft. The signing of the contract took place at a ceremony held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The airline will announce the choice of engine at a later stage. These aircraft are part of the airline's fleet renewal strategy to be more fuel efficient and increase operational efficiency and competitiveness, while offering passengers greater comfort.
With some 8,700 orders from 135 customers, the A320neo family is the "world's most popular" aircraft, according to the French aircraft manufacturer.
