Taiwan's China Airlines finalizes order for 10 A350-1000s

Taipei, March 31 (CNA) Taiwan-based China Airlines has finalized an agreement with plane manufacturer Airbus to buy 10 A350-1000 passenger jets, which the carrier plans to fly as its next flagship model on high-demand, long-haul routes.

China Airlines Chairman Kao Shing-hwang (高星潢) and Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business, signed the deal Monday at the Hyatt Regency hotel in the carrier's corporate headquarters at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

The carrier expects to take delivery of the 10 A350-1000 jets in 2029, the airline said in a statement. It will be a new model in its fleet and be used on high-demand routes to European and North American designations, including London and New York, the airline said.

China Airlines said it also has an option to purchase five more A350-1000s, while the 15 A350-900s currently in its fleet will undergo a cabin upgrade starting in 2027.

Meanwhile, Kao told reporters at the signing ceremony that the carrier is set to see its current fleet of 83 aircraft further expand to 90-95.

Nine more A321s will be delivered slightly behind schedule, and Boeing is set to ship China Airlines' first B787 jet between late 2025 and early 2026.

He also offered a positive outlook for the company in 2025 after it posted record revenue and net profit in 2024, forecasting that the total number of passengers it carries this year will exceed the level recorded in 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

According to Kao, the Asia-Pacific aviation market still is expected to see double-digit growth, but ticket fares are not expected to drop, because of the high cost of sustainable aviation fuel.