Chinese carriers Spring Airlines and Juneyao Air have disclosed deals with Airbus for a total of 55 A320neo-family aircraft. In a statement to the Shanghai stock exchange, Spring says that on 29 December it signed a purchase agreement with the European airframer for 30 jets for delivery in 2028-32. The Shanghai-based low-cost carrier says it will "use its own funds, commercial bank loans, or other financing methods to support this transaction". It foresees that the jets will enable it to optimise its fleet structure, build capacity for the long term and "improve operational efficiency and market competitiveness". Cirium data lists Spring as having an all-Airbus fleet of 134 aircraft, comprising 75 A320ceos, 47 A320neos (including two in storage) and 12 A321neos. The carrier already had 13 A320neo-family jets on order: nine A320neos and four A321neos. Juneyao has meanwhile revealed a purchase agreement that covers 25 A320neo-family aircraft, for delivery in the same timeframe. "This aircraft purchase is to ensure the company's future normal production and operation needs," says Juneyao in its disclosure to the Shanghai stock exchange. The transaction will be funded with bank loans, it adds. Operating as a full-service carrier out of Shanghai, Juneyao has a fleet of 103 aircraft, comprising 93 Airbus narrowbodies and 10 787-9s. The narrowbodies are made up of 30 A320ceos, 27 A321ceos, 22 A320neos and 14 A321neos. Both of the new purchase agreements are subject to shareholder approval. Neither airline has confirmed an engine selection. CFM International Leap-1As were selected for all of the A320neo-family jets that Spring Airlines already had in service, in storage or on order, while Juneyao's are powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100Gs.

Air China has signed a purchase agreement for 60 additional Airbus A320neo-family aircraft, to be delivered between 2028 and 2032. In a statement to the Shanghai stock exchange, the carrier says the aircraft will be financed with self-owned cash, commercial loans and "other funding methods". It does not specify the engine supplier. It notes the aircraft's list-price value of $9.53 billion but adds that Airbus granted it "considerable price concessions". The order will increase Air China's fleet capacity by 6.5%, it estimates, "in line with the development plan of the company and the market demand". Some of the new capacity will meet renewal requirements, and some will go towards expansion. Air China has 493 aircraft in service, Fleet data shows. That includes 274 A320-family jets, of which 74 are Neos. The airline has a further 28 Neos in storage and already had 42 on order before the latest agreement. Its A320neo-family jets are variously powered by CFM International Leap-1A and Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines. Over the last 48 hours, four major Chinese entities have committed to 145 A320neo-family jets, including 30 for lessor CALC, 30 for Spring Airlines, and 25 for Juneyao Air.

A consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation has been selected to take a majority stake in state-owned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), as part of a televised sale process on 23 December. The winning offer came in at PRs135 billion ($482 million) for a 75% equity share in the national carrier, exceeding the government’s reference price of PRs100 billion. The consortium also includes Fatima Fertilizer Company, AKD Group, The Lake City, and City Schools, according to notices attached to the Pakistani stock exchange, with the military-backed Fauji Fertilizer Company also joining the alliance. PIA states that the Pakistani government will receive approximately 7.5% of the bid value, or PRs10.125 billion, as an upfront cash payment. PRs124.875 billion, or 92.5% of the bid, is earmarked for reinvestment into PIA via a rights issue to take place over the following 12 months. Businessman Arif Habib, who controls the Arif Habib Corporation, told local media he intended to increase the carrier’s fleet to 38 in a first phase on investment and 65 in the second, according to Dunya News. Data shows PIA as operating an in-service fleet of 19 aircraft, comprising 11 Airbus A320-200s, six Boeing 777s and two ATR 42s. Following the auction, the country’s Privatisation Commission Board recommended the approval of the bid, which now requires cabinet-level ratification. Although the Pakistani government first announced its intention to privatise the national carrier in August 2023, early efforts to secure a buyer gained little traction due to a lack of investor interest. Since then, aviation authorities in the UK and the EU have lifted long-standing safety bans on Pakistani airlines, which is seen as having provided a boost to the state's efforts to divest its stake.