Air China has taken delivery of its first Boeing 747-8I aircraft, making it the first Asian customer of the type.

The carrier will use the aircraft to expand its international network, says Boeing.

Boeing’s partnership with China’s flag carrier dates back to 1970s. Besides the first 747-8, the airline in recent days also took delivery of its 20th 777-300ER, and is one of the largest 737 operators in China.

Air China 747-8

Boeing

“Air China has been operating 747s since the 1980s,” says the airline’s president Song Zhiyong. “This iconic airplane has played an important role in Air China's international development and has also witnessed many milestones of the reform and opening-up of China. We are very proud to introduce the new 747-8 into our fleet to continue its tradition into the future.”

Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets database shows that as of 30 September, Air China also has orders for six additional 747-8s, and 15 787-9s.

Source: Cirium Dashboard