(Yicai) Nov. 7 -- Chinese aviation companies, including China Eastern Airlines, have committed to billions of US dollars of purchases during the ongoing sixth China International Import Expo amid post-Covid market recovery.

China Eastern yesterday signed over USD2.5 billion of agreements -- a record high for the CIIE -- with 13 suppliers from nine countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, and Switzerland regarding new equipment and maintenance, fuel supply, and inflight meals, Yicai learned during the six-day trade fair held in Shanghai till Nov. 10.

China’s civil aviation industry has rebounded to levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic. In the third quarter, some 180 million passenger trips were completed, a record high and up by nearly 3 percent from the same period in 2019, according to data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

The CIIE is facilitating a slew of deals. China Eastern penned an agreement with GE Aerospace, a unit of General Electric, to buy 25 GEnx-1B engines for its Boeing 787 fleet. The pair also agreed to 15 years of maintenance. It also inked an agreement with Dnata Catering, an airline catering company linked to the Emirates Group, and a jet fuel supply deal with China Aviation Oil Singapore.

The Shanghai-headquartered airline, the world’s first airline to operate China-made C919 aircraft, signed an additional power unit maintenance licensing agreement and an engine procurement deal with US-based automation giant Honeywell International and engine maker CFM International to keep using the homegrown airliner developed by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China.

Meanwhile, China Southern Airlines signed USD1.1 billion of agreements with CFM International and aircraft engine manufacturer International Aero Engines to buy engines and spare parts. Moreover, Xiamen Airlines purchased 86 engines and after-sales services from CFM International.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Emmi Laine