China Aviation Supplies Holding Co. signs for 45 Airbus A330s

Toulouse, France – China Aviation Supplies Holding Co. (CAS) has signed a general terms agreement (GTA) with Airbus for 45 A330 family aircraft and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for options for 30 A330s. 

 

The GTA and MoU were signed in Paris by Fabrice Brégier, Airbus president and CEO and Li Hai, president and CEO of CAS in the presence of visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

 

“The package order is a new vote of confidence in our A330 family aircraft, which is already the most popular wide-body aircraft in China,” Brégier said. “China is today the most important market for aviation in the world, we can be confident that air transport in China will continue to undergo rapid growth. We are honored to contribute to this development.”

 

CAS was established in October 2002, named as China Aviation Supplies Import & Export Group Corporation (CASGC) until December 2007, when it was renamed to the current name. 

 

CAS is specialized in aircraft procurement and support services on aviation supplies. 

 

Package purchase of aircraft is one of the main businesses for CAS. Excluding the GTA signed today, since 2002, CAS has signed 21 package-purchase contracts for a total of more than 1,500 aircraft from major aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing.

 

According to Airbus’ market forecast, China will become the leading country for passenger air traffic, for both domestic and international markets, as passenger traffic in the country grows well above the world average. Domestic air traffic in China will become the world’s number one within 10 years. In the 20 year period between 2014 and 2033, Airbus forecasts a demand in China for more than 5,300 new commercial passenger aircraft sized greater than 100 seats, plus freighters.

 

At present, the in-service Airbus fleet with Chinese operators comprises more than 1,150 aircraft (980+ A320 family aircraft, 150+ A330 family aircraft, and five A380s).

 

The A330 widebody aircraft has to date won more than 1,500 orders, with 1,100+ flying with some 110 operators worldwide. The A330 family seats between 250 and 440 passengers. Worldwide an A330 family aircraft takes off or lands every 20 seconds.