China buying Airbus jetliners

China Aviation Supplies Holding Co. (CAS) signed a deal with Airbus for 60 aircraft. Airbus said the deal includes 18 wide-body A330s and 42 single-aisle A320s. The deal is worth at least $7.7 billion based on list prices. The A320's high reliability and low operational cost has appealed to Chinese airlines, while the A330 offers a solution to airport congestion in large Chinese cities as larger planes can carry more passengers with fewer flights, said Fabrice Bregier, president and chief executive officer of Airbus. As of the end of March, there were some 750 A320 aircraft in operation with 14 airlines in China and more than 110 A330 planes in service with six air carriers. (Sources: Reuters, Xinhua, 04/25/13) Gulf Coast note: Airbus is building an A320 final assembly line in  Mobile, Ala.