Airlines

China Eastern Airlines Inks $9.9 Billion Deal for 100 COMAC C919 Jets

China Eastern Airlines has committed to purchase 100 more COMAC C919 narrowbody planes. The airline is the C919’s first customer and currently operates a small number of aircraft.

Deliveries under this new arrangement will commence in 2024, with COMAC delivering five aircraft during the year. China Eastern will take another ten per year from 2025 to 2027, followed by 15 per year from 2028 to 2030. COMAC will deliver the final batch of 20 aircraft in 2031. The airline valued the new contract at about $9.9 billion at list pricing, but underlined that it had purchased the planes at a substantial discount.

China Eastern Airlines set to operate C919’s first commercial flight(Opens in a new browser tab)

The agreement comes five months after China Eastern conducted the inaugural flight of the Chinese passenger plane, which state-owned COMAC had built to compete with the single-aisle jet families of Airbus SE’s A320neo and Boeing Co’s 737 MAX.

The state-owned carrier with its headquarters in Shanghai is the C919’s first customer; it has purchased five of the aircraft, three of which have already been delivered. Later this year, the other two are anticipated to be delivered.

Airbus Inks $17B Plane Order With China(Opens in a new browser tab)

According to China Eastern, the new aircraft would expand its fleet at a time when air travel is experiencing a robust rebound after three years of COVID limitations and as the airline prepares to retire a significant portion of its narrow-body aircraft due to ageing.

Between 2020 and 2039, COMAC estimates that about 40,600 new aircraft will be delivered on the global market, with a value of roughly 5.9 trillion dollars. The company’s Chinese C919 and ARJ21 planes could deliver a total of 732 billion dollars worth of products.

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Airlines

Air India Rolls Out A350s for Delhi-New York JFK and Newark Routes

In a major development for North American travelers, Air India has announced the deployment of its state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft on two key routes: Delhi to New York and Delhi to Newark.

The service on the Delhi-New York route will commence on November 1, 2024, while the Delhi-Newark route will see its inaugural flight on January 2, 2025.

The introduction of the air india a350 will bring significant enhancements to Air India’s offerings, particularly with the launch of its Premium Economy class. air india retrofit This new class will feature 24 wide seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration, providing passengers with extra legroom and a more comfortable flying experience.

Soon, Air India aircraft will feature onboard WiFi & all-new cabins: Click here

“We are encouraged by the positive guest feedback we have received from the domestic deployment of our air india a350 interior to offer our hero product on the Delhi-New York JFK and Delhi-Newark routes. This is a significant leap forward for our U.S. operations that also underscores our commitment to continuous improvement,” said Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Air India.

The A350’s Business class will set new standards with 28 private suites, each equipped with full-flat beds, direct aisle access, and personal wardrobes. Economy class will be configured to accommodate 264 passengers in a 3-4-3 layout. Across all cabins, passengers will enjoy the latest Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system, offering over 2,200 hours of content.

Air India’s First A350-900: Interior, Routes, &Inflight Features: Click here

This strategic deployment marks a notable enhancement in Air India’s U.S. operations, with 60% of its flights to the U.S. now featuring new or upgraded cabin interiors. The air india new international routes currently operates 51 weekly flights to five U.S. destinations: New York JFK, Newark, Washington DC, Chicago, and San Francisco.

The revamped cabins, advanced in-flight entertainment systems, and improved service standards represent air india wifi commitment to providing a superior travel experience. “We believe this enhanced offering will solidify Air India’s position as a leading carrier and attract travellers seeking a world-class flying experience between India and the United States,” the airline stated.

Seats on these flights are now available for booking on Air India’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents, ensuring that passengers can easily plan their journeys on these newly upgraded routes.