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RIO DE JANEIRO—IATA warns that the commercial aircraft fleet in China will continue to age in spite of recent large commitments for new aircraft.
“Since 2020 the number of aircraft aged 20 or older has exceeded new aircraft deliveries,” IATA’S Regional Vice President North Asia Xingquan Xie said at the association’s annual general meeting in Rio de Janeiro June 6. “When China used to have one of the youngest fleets, the replacement rate is too low to maintain a stable age.”
Xie said the trend is not going to be reversed even after the recent orders announced for both Boeing and Airbus narrowbodies. The Comac C919 was therefore “another option” for airlines to be able to replace older aircraft.
Chinese airlines have not been placing large orders for several years, partly because some subfleets ordered in the high growth 2010s were still relatively young, and partly because of political considerations. In China, orders by the large state-owned carriers are centrally planned.
In May, China announced orders for 200 Boeing aircraft. Airbus recorded large commitments by Chinese airlines in its 2026 orderbook. Xiamen Airlines ordered 35 A321neos, China Southern added 23 A320neos and 79 A321neos, China Eastern went for 18 A320neos and 83 A321neos and Spring Airlines for 24 A320neos and six A321neos.
China’s domestic traffic grew by 4.9% in 2025, international demand increased by 17.5%, with some markets such as U.S.-China still far from former volumes.
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