Beijing is using its position as Airbus's second-largest market to pressure European regulators on certifying Chinese-made jets.
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China stalls Airbus deliveries 4 months over Comac certification
China has slow-walked final approvals for Airbus SE jet deliveries for several months, frustrated with European regulators' pace in certifying Chinese-made Comac aircraft, people familiar with the matter said.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China has delayed the final sign-off that allows Airbus jets to enter the country and be put into service, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. Airbus, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, CAAC and Comac didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
The slowdown affects deliveries that typically represent about a fifth of Airbus's global output. China is the planemaker's second-largest market after the US, with Airbus having delivered roughly 190 aircraft to Chinese carriers in 2024. The CAAC's move comes as EASA reviews Comac's C919 narrow-body jet for European certification — a process that has stretched longer than Beijing anticipated.
The standoff adds a new dimension to already strained EU-China trade relations. Brussels imposed tariffs of as much as 45% on Chinese-made electric vehicles in late 2024, prompting Beijing to launch anti-dumping probes into EU brandy and pork imports. Any prolonged disruption to Airbus deliveries could pressure the European planemaker's revenue targets while delaying fleet renewal plans for Chinese airlines.
The C919, Comac's first narrow-body jet, entered commercial service with China Eastern Airlines in May 2023 and has since been deployed on domestic routes. But without EASA certification, the aircraft cannot be operated by European carriers or leased to foreign airlines — a critical hurdle for Comac's ambition to challenge the Airbus-Boeing duopoly.
The last time China used aviation approvals as leverage was in 2023, when it paused Boeing 737 MAX deliveries during a diplomatic dispute with the US over Taiwan. Those deliveries resumed only after a summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden. The current standoff with Europe has no such high-level resolution in sight.
Airbus shares traded little changed in Paris on Wednesday, with the stock down about 3% year-to-date. The company is scheduled to report June-quarter deliveries in July, which will show whether the Chinese slowdown has materially affected its numbers.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
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