At the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), China Southern Airlines signed a major agreement with Airbus.
Under the deal, Airbus will equip 30 of China Southern’s A350 aircraft with its next-generation high-speed onboard connectivity system, HBCplus, including retrofitting 20 in-service jets and installing the system on 10 new aircraft.
This partnership makes China Southern the first Chinese airline to adopt the advanced HBCplus system. The first equipped aircraft is scheduled to enter operation in 2026.
HBCplus—short for “High Bandwidth Connectivity Plus”—offers passengers high-speed in-flight internet and enables real-time data exchange between cockpit and ground, improving flight efficiency.
Through collaboration with Airbus and China Satcom subsidiaries, China Southern will gain seamless in-flight internet coverage both domestically and internationally, further enhancing its service competitiveness.
In contrast, China Southern has been phasing out its Boeing 787-8 fleet.
The airline first listed the batch for sale in April 2024, but the process was paused amid U.S.-China trade tensions and has since resumed as relations improved.
China Southern previously retired its Boeing 737-700 aircraft, and the sale of the 787-8s marks another step in optimizing its fleet structure.
As China’s first carrier to introduce the Boeing 787-8 over a decade ago, the move signals a continued decline in the share of Boeing widebody aircraft within China Southern’s fleet.
