China Eastern opts for Airbus to address fleet replacement

China Eastern opts for Airbus to address fleet replacement (2004/12/13): "China Eastern Airlines and Airbus have signed a contract for the purchase of 20 A330-300 aircraft. These aircraft are purchased for fleet replacement and expansion. The aircraft, to be deployed on both the regional and domestic trunk routes, will increase the airline's competitiveness in both the international as well as domestic markets. 'As one of the three major airline groups in the country, China Eastern has maintained sound momentum of development,' sai Luo Chaogeng, President, China Eastern Airlines. He added, 'Introduction of the aircraft will enlarge our fleet and give a boost to our growth.' Airbus' business in China has been steadily expanding since it first entered the country in 1985. The Airbus fleet in service in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau has grown to more than 250 today, from just 29 in 1995. According to Airbus'President and CEO, Noel Forgeard, 'We are delighted that China Eastern Airlines, our first and largest custuomer in China, ahs again chosen our aircraft to meet hte ever-growing traffic demands. This agreement marks a new milestone in the long-standing cooperation between our two companies.' The twin-engine A330 combines some of the lowest operating costs for any aircraft ever designed, with maximum flexibility, for a wide range of route structures. The A330-300, which first entered service in early 1994, typically seats 335 passengers in two calsses or 295 passengers in three classes and can fly up to 5650 nm/10,500 km. The A330s will give China Eastern the full benefit of Airbus'unique operational commonality, which enables operation of A330s and A340s,using the same pool of pilots, cabin crews and maintenance engineers. This gives airlines more crew and fleet planning flexibility and will result in significant cost savings in training, combined with unmatched passenger comfort."