AeroMorning October 29, 2025

Air China Cargo has informed the Shenzhen Stock Exchange that it plans to sign a purchase agreement with Airbus for six A350F freighters, with options for four more, a transaction the carrier says will support long-haul capacity growth and fleet modernization. The company’s board approved the proposal and has proposed submitting the deal for shareholder approval at an upcoming meeting. 

The disclosure—filed on October 28, 2025—says the firm order covers six aircraft and that Air China Cargo retains purchase rights for an additional four A350F units. The announcement notes expected deliveries will fall between 2029 and 2031, and that the transaction remains subject to prescribed corporate approvals. 

Air China Cargo’s filing also states that the A350F list price (as benchmarked in January 2024) is used for valuation disclosure, but that the actual transaction price will be lower following commercial discounts negotiated between the parties; the company intends to fund deposits and staged payments through internal resources and/or external financing as needed. The board resolution authorizes management to complete the signing and follow the required disclosure steps.

The A350F itself is Airbus’s new generation large freighter derived from the A350 widebody family; Airbus describes the type as offering improved payload capability, an extended range and reduced fuel burn versus legacy large freighters—features intended to serve long-haul intercontinental cargo markets. Airbus has positioned the A350F as meeting upcoming environmental standards and as an efficient platform for heavy and outsized cargo. 

Market trackers and financial news services reported the exchange filing and summarized the deal value at list prices (if all ten frames were taken) in the multi-billion dollar range; coverage also noted that the agreement would make Air China Cargo among the early mainland Chinese operators of the A350F should it be completed. Analysts see the planned acquisition as part of a broader trend of freighter fleet renewal and expansion driven by persistent demand for long-haul cargo capacity. 

If approved and executed, the order would add a modern, long-range widebody freighter to Air China Cargo’s mix—useful for routes linking China with distant freight markets in Europe and the Americas, and for strategic growth in oversized and time-sensitive cargo sectors. The deal is subject to the company’s shareholder vote and to the usual commercial closing conditions; delivery timing will depend on Airbus production sequencing and industry supply-chain factors.