China Airlines (CI, Taipei Taoyuan) will likely split an impending widebody order between Airbus and Boeing, according to Reuters. The airline is preparing to order as many as 20 aircraft to replace its fleet of B777-300ERs.
Citing industry sources, the news agency says that the Taiwanese state-owned carrier intends to split the order relatively evenly between the B777X and A350-1000 types. A separate freighter order is less advanced, although Reuters flagged the recent re-election of Donald Trump, an ally of Taiwan, and Taiwan's close ties with the United States as potentially influencing a final aircraft type decision. The airline is reportedly planning to order four freighters in addition to the passenger aircraft.
In 2022, China Airlines ordered sixteen B787-9s (with since-exercised options for another eight). That order was considered central to cementing expanding trade ties between Taiwan and the US. However, last month China Airlines chairman Hsieh Su-chien said that there was no political pressure to favour either manufacturer in the upcoming order.
"When it comes to buying aircraft, it is China Airlines ourselves who makes the assessment," he said.
ch-aviation fleets data reveals that the carrier's ten-strong fleet of B777-300ERs are relatively young. At the time of publication, the oldest is 10.29 years old, and the youngest is 8.52 years old. The average fleet age is 9.5 years. However, they will be significantly older before deliveries begin from the upcoming order. China Airlines deploys the planes to Ho Chi Minh City, Los Angeles International, New York JFK, Ontario International, Osaka Kansai, San Francisco, Sapporo Chitose, Shanghai Pudong, Tokyo Narita, and Vancouver International.
In addition to the B777s, China Airlines operates thirteen A321-200NX, sixteen A330-300s, fifteen A350-900s, ten B737-800s, eight B747-400FSCDs, and nine B777-200Fs.
