Airbus to deliver over 100 passenger planes to China in 2013

BEIJING -- European aircraft manufacturer Airbus will deliver over 100 passenger planes to China this year, with its four-year deliveries to China totalling over 400, the company announced on Saturday.

The market share of Airbus in China's wide-bodied aircraft market has reached more than 60 percent, with over 110 Airbus A330 wide-bodied aircraft in operation, according to Airbus.

Fabrice Bregier, president and CEO of Airbus, attributed the company's achievements in China to a strategy of carrying out extensive and in-depth cooperation with China's aviation industry.

Air China, the country's leading carrier, and its subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines signed deals at the end of May to buy a total of 100 Airbus 320-series planes for $8.85 billion.

The A320's high reliability and low operational cost have appealed to Chinese airlines, while the A330 offers a solution for airport congestion in large Chinese cities, as larger planes can carry more passengers with fewer flights, according to Airbus.

Airbus delivered its first aircraft to China in 1985. The number of Airbus aircraft in operation in China by the end of April stood at 914, the company said.