China Southern orders 10 A330s

China Southern Airlines agreed (05-Dec-2012) to buy 10 A330-300s in a deal worth USD1.88 billion at list prices. The aircraft will be delivered in stages from 2014 to 2016. The new aircraft would be funded through internal resources and loans from commercial banks and that the catalogue price of one A330-300 was USD188 million, although "certain price concessions" were obtained. China Southern Airlines said the order would boost the carrier's current capacity by 5.7% and enhance its competitiveness in the rapidly expanding Chinese travel market. The deal is the second involving Airbus and a Chinese airline since the European Union agreed on 12-Nov-2012 to "stop the clock" on plans to force non-EU airlines to adopt its EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). China Eastern Airlines last month announced plans to acquire 60 A320 aircraft. [more - original PR]