Boeing predicts China's commercial aircraft fleet will expand twofold over the next two decades
Boeing has stated that the commercial airplane fleet in China is projected to double over the next two decades.
TroibNews 
According to Boeing's latest commercial market outlook, presented in Beijing on Tuesday, China's commercial aircraft fleet is expected to experience significant growth, more than doubling in size over the next 20 years. The Boeing 2024 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) forecasts that China's fleet will increase by 4.1 percent annually, rising from the current total of approximately 4,300 to about 9,700 by 2043.
"It's important to look at how China's economy has recovered from the pandemic and remains very healthy," stated Darren Hulst, Boeing's vice president of commercial marketing.
Data from the first half of the year indicate that the civil aviation sector in China handled 350 million passenger trips, marking a 23.5 percent increase year-over-year, and a 9 percent rise compared to the first half of 2019.
"China's commercial aviation market for passengers and cargo continues to expand, driven by economic growth and airlines building their in-country networks. The economy continues to grow, private consumption continues to grow, and ultimately industrial production is also on a growth trajectory. All are important drivers of demand for both passenger and cargo traffic," explained Hulst.
Boeing's report estimates that over the next two decades, China will require 8,830 new aircraft including regional jets, single-aisle planes, wide-bodies, and freighters to meet this rising demand.
To accommodate the expanding fleet, Chinese airlines will likely need aviation services valued at $780 billion, covering areas such as digital solutions, maintenance, and modifications, as detailed in the Boeing forecast.
Furthermore, it is anticipated that air travel in China will evolve into the world's largest traffic flow, emphasizing the growth in the single-aisle fleet, which is expected to constitute over three-quarters of the expected deliveries. Additionally, China is poised to have the largest wide-body fleet globally, with an anticipated need for 1,575 new wide-body aircraft. The Chinese freighter fleet is also expected to nearly triple, fueled by the surging e-commerce sector.
Simultaneously, China Eastern Airlines, Air China, and China Southern Airlines each received their first C919 jets from COMAC in Shanghai on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone. The C919 has already amassed over 1,000 orders both domestically and internationally, with nine aircraft delivered to date.
(Cover: Air China's Boeing 777-300ER in flight in Shanghai, China, August 18, 2024. /CFP)
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
"It's important to look at how China's economy has recovered from the pandemic and remains very healthy," stated Darren Hulst, Boeing's vice president of commercial marketing.
Data from the first half of the year indicate that the civil aviation sector in China handled 350 million passenger trips, marking a 23.5 percent increase year-over-year, and a 9 percent rise compared to the first half of 2019.
"China's commercial aviation market for passengers and cargo continues to expand, driven by economic growth and airlines building their in-country networks. The economy continues to grow, private consumption continues to grow, and ultimately industrial production is also on a growth trajectory. All are important drivers of demand for both passenger and cargo traffic," explained Hulst.
Boeing's report estimates that over the next two decades, China will require 8,830 new aircraft including regional jets, single-aisle planes, wide-bodies, and freighters to meet this rising demand.
To accommodate the expanding fleet, Chinese airlines will likely need aviation services valued at $780 billion, covering areas such as digital solutions, maintenance, and modifications, as detailed in the Boeing forecast.
Furthermore, it is anticipated that air travel in China will evolve into the world's largest traffic flow, emphasizing the growth in the single-aisle fleet, which is expected to constitute over three-quarters of the expected deliveries. Additionally, China is poised to have the largest wide-body fleet globally, with an anticipated need for 1,575 new wide-body aircraft. The Chinese freighter fleet is also expected to nearly triple, fueled by the surging e-commerce sector.
Simultaneously, China Eastern Airlines, Air China, and China Southern Airlines each received their first C919 jets from COMAC in Shanghai on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone. The C919 has already amassed over 1,000 orders both domestically and internationally, with nine aircraft delivered to date.
(Cover: Air China's Boeing 777-300ER in flight in Shanghai, China, August 18, 2024. /CFP)
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
