Airbus has cut its 20-year forecast for single-aisle aircraft demand in China by 470 jets to 7,480, reflecting the growing impact of the country’s expanding high-speed rail network on short-haul flying. The revised outlook comes as China remains a core market for the European planemaker, but one where domestic route growth is expected to soften over the long term.
The lower projection underlines how rail is taking a larger share of journeys that once fed narrowbody demand, particularly on shorter sectors. Airbus still sees China as a major driver of global aviation growth, with total aircraft demand in the country expected to remain substantial over the next two decades.
Even with the downward revision, Asia-Pacific continues to anchor Airbus’s long-term market view. China’s demand profile is becoming more selective, with airlines likely to focus more on longer domestic and international routes rather than adding capacity on short-haul services.