Chinese carriers have taken delivery of 171 new aircraft totally in the first half of 2016, including 23 wide-bodies, 140 narrow-bodies and 7 regional jets, according to CARNOC fleet data base CADAS. With the arrival of new aircraft, Chinese airlines now operate a total of 2,795 commercial planes.

The 171 aircraft delivered to China in the past six months ended June 30 consist of 64 Boeing 737-800s, 50 Airbus A320s, 22 A321s, 7 777-300ERs, 4 A330-300s, 4 787-9s, 4 Bombardier CRJ900s, 3 757-200F, 2 A319s, 2 737-300s, 2, 737-300f, 2 Embraer E-195s, one A330-200, A300F, 767-300ERF, 767-300F and E-190.

China's four major airlines accounted for a large proportion on the new aircraft introduction, in which China Eastern Airlines took the spot with the introduction of 28 aircraft in the first half of this year, followed by Air China (15), China Southern Airlines (12), Xiamen Airlines (12), Capital Airlines (11), Shanghai Airlines (11), and etc.

By the end of June 2016, China Southern operates the nation's largest fleet with 512 aircraft, followed by China Eastern (437), Air China (356), Shenzhen Airlines (166), Hainan Airlines (161) and Xiamen Airlines (141).

Specifically, Air China took delivery of China's first Boeing 787-9 aircraft (B-7887) on May 20, while Hainan Airlines received its first stretched Dreamliner (B-7880) on June 10. Tibet Airlines welcomed its first ever wide-body aircraft - an Airbus A330-200 (B-8420) on July 1, which is also the first 242 tonnes maximum take-off-weight (MTOW) version to be operated by a Chinese airline.

Along with fleet expansion, Chinese airlines also retired some old aircraft. According to CADAS, a total of 31 aircraft were phased out of service in the first six months of 2016, among which 27 were retired totally and the rest four were leased back or transferred to other air operators.

Air China retired its first Boeing 777-200 (B-2059), painting in a speicial Blue Phoenix livery, on March 26.