China to purchase 88 planes from Airbus

Airbus previously planned to announce a multi-billion-euro aircraft order last week.

China has signed an agreement with the European plane maker Airbus to buy 88 aircraft in the A320 family, a Chinese buyer said on Wednesday.

According to the agreement signed on Tuesday in Berlin, China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS) will buy 46 out of the total 88 aircraft, and the rest 42 will be delivered to the ICBC Financial Leasing Co, a subsidiary of the Industrial and Commerce Bank of China, said a CAS official on Wednesday.

The purchase will lift the leasing company's plane number to 110 from the current 68.

The single-aisle A320 family is made up of the A318, A319, A320 and A321. Airbus has secured more than 7,000 orders for the A320 family worldwide, and more than 4,700 planes have already been delivered to over 330 clients worldwide.

Altogether 575 A320 aircraft are operated in China by 13 airline companies.