Airbus Hands Over First A320neo From Second Tianjin Assembly Line

Airbus SE has handed over the first aircraft completed on its new final assembly line for the A320 family in Tianjin, delivering the A320neo to China Eastern Airlines. It is the second such line Airbus operates in China and in Asia as a whole, and the company described the handover as an important milestone in expanding its industrial presence in the country and in building out its global production system, according to a report carried by Interfax citing Xinhua.

A second line in Tianjin

The Tianjin site opened its second final assembly line in October 2025. Airbus says the facility plays a key role in its global strategy to raise output of the A320 family to 75 aircraft a month. The first jet off the new line went to China Eastern Airlines, which operates the largest Airbus fleet in mainland China and took delivery of its first aircraft from the European manufacturer in 1985.

Where the A320 is built

The A320 family is assembled across a worldwide network of ten final assembly lines. Four are located in Germany, two in France, two in the United States and two in China. With the second line now running, the Tianjin complex accounts for roughly a fifth of Airbus global production capacity for the family.

• Germany — four final assembly lines
• France — two final assembly lines
• United States — two final assembly lines
• China — two final assembly lines, both in Tianjin

Context

The A320neo is the re-engined, more fuel-efficient version of Airbus's best-selling single-aisle family, and the model remains central to the manufacturer's order book. Raising the monthly production rate is a long-running industry goal, with final assembly capacity spread across several continents to keep deliveries on schedule.

What it means

The handover underlines how Airbus is spreading final assembly closer to its largest markets to protect delivery pace and supply chains. For China Eastern, the aircraft adds to an already deep Airbus fleet, while for the manufacturer the second Tianjin line is a concrete step toward the 75-a-month target that anchors its single-aisle programme.