AIRLINES

Chinese to Continue Hefty Aircraft Purchases: China will import at least 40 commercial aircraft a year to keep up with its rapidly growing air transport needs, an official newspaper reported. Domestic passenger and freight air transport is expected to increase 20% annually in coming years, according to the English-language China Daily. “China has to buy at least 40 aircraft each year,” primarily passenger jets that can seat more than 150 people each, Ye Yigan, president of the China Aviation Supplies Corp., told the newspaper. Ye’s company controls China’s commercial aircraft import business, which has averaged $1.6 billion a year.