China Airlines Nears Major Aircraft Order

China Airlines is nearing the purchase of new aircraft following several reports suggesting that such a deal has been in the works for a considerable period.

However, many of the delays that were seemingly being felt for this new aircraft order were supposedly coming from political tensions and other factors that were preventing decisions from being made.

After all, this would be no cheap purchase. The prospective order to include next-generation widebodies would also help reshape China Airlines into future decades.

First mentioned towards the mid-way stages of 2023, the airline was said to be eyeing widebody options from Airbus and Boeing, with the 777X or A350-1000 up for grabs.

China Airlines is already familiar with both of these families. The A350-900 currently flies across its network, and the 777-300ER has been operating for some time but is beginning to show signs of age.

Reuters is now reporting that China Airlines, after much deliberation, tensions, and delays, is nearing a formal decision that would see it secure new aircraft.

Moreover, the purchase will not likely be influenced by one party or the other. Instead, China Airlines is looking to split the decision between Airbus and Boeing for high-capacity and long-haul aircraft.

In the end, the decision is arguably coming thanks to the recent Presidential Election in the United States, and now Taiwan wants to ensure it has good relations with the United States.

As a result, while the carrier seemingly avoided reporting last month that its deal was resting on the ongoing political landscape of the United States, this would appear true.

With the A350-1000 and the 777X now touted as the aircraft they’ll choose, an order could be up to 20 units with an even split down the middle to foster future growth.

These new planes would help replace the ten 777-300ERs currently in service and, as mentioned, enable future growth.

Furthermore, the deal would be a big win for Boeing, which is continuing to progress with the certification of the 777X. While encountering delays, the company is seeing even fresh interest from Riyadh Air, adding to the backlog.

According to the latest guidance, Boeing expects the first 777X to be delivered sometime in 2026, with a probable EIS for most customers after familiarisation occurs to take place in 2027. Meanwhile, Airbus has one up on its competitor, with the A350-1000 being a proven, available, certified aircraft.