09 Jan 2023

China Aviation Industry Newsletter

BOC Aviation Orders 40 New Boeing 737 MAX 8 Aircraft

BOC Aviation announced that it has entered into an agreement with The Boeing Company to purchase 40 new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft for delivery in 2027 and 2028. BOC Aviation  Deputy Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer David Walton said “We are pleased to continue to build on our existing relationship with Boeing, with this 40-aircraft incremental order for the fuel-efficient Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.  The incremental aircraft takes our total 737 MAX 8 orderbook with Boeing to 80 aircraft.”

Cathay Pacific welcomes quarantine-free travel

Cathay Pacific welcomed the Hong Kong SAR Government’s latest measures to facilitate quarantine-free travel between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, as well as the lifting of transit restrictions. The carrier will more than double its flights into the Chinese Mainland, operating 61 return flights per week between Hong Kong and 13 Mainland cities from 14 January. The airline plans to resume and add more flights progressively between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland in the coming weeks, with the aim of operating over 100 return flights per week by March 2023.

China's aviation authority targets 75% of its pre-pandemic levels in 2023

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) announced air traffic data for 2022 and said the air travel traffic target this year would reach 75% of its pre-pandemic levels. China plans to restore passenger flight volumes to 88% of the 2019 daily average by end-January 2023.

GAMECO Completes the First Airbus A350 IL-Check for Lufthansa

Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co. Ltd. (GAMECO) completed the first Airbus A350 IL-check for Lufthansa at GAMECO’s main base in Guangzhou, China. This first Airbus A350 IL-check is part of a multi-year contract which covers various aircraft types and extends the cooperation between Lufthansa and GAMECO. GAMECO General Manager Dr. Marc Szepan stated “We are honoured to be entrusted once again with performing maintenance work for Lufthansa. The entire GAMECO team is thrilled to have the opportunity to support one of the world’s leading airlines."

World's First Comac C919 Aircraft Delivered to China Eastern Airlines

The world's first C919 aircraft, with registration number of B-919A, was delivered to its world’s first launch customer, China Eastern Airlines (CEA) on 9th December 2022. The aircraft adopts a 164-seat configuration that comes with a two-class cabin layout, including 8 business class seats and 156 economy class seats. The aircraft features advanced aerodynamic design, propulsion system and materials, as well as lower carbon emission and higher fuel efficiency. The carrier carried out a 100-hour verification flight for its first C919 aircraft to verify and confirm the aircraft's operation safety, paving the way for its commercial debut in spring of 2023.

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