Chinese airlines have taken delivery of 369 commercial aircraft in 2016, bringing the total fleet number to 2,933 in mainland China, according to CARNOC fleet data base CADAS.

China's four major airlines accounted for a large proportion on the new aircraft introduction, in which China Eastern took the top spot with the introduction of 52 new aircraft from Jan.-Dec. 2016, followed by Air China (36), China Southern Airlines (32) and Hainan Airlines (27).

Chinese airlines have recorded an annual increase of 11.3% in fleet expansion. Meanwhile, as airlines boost global expansion, more wide-body aircraft have been delivered to China. Now, wide-body aircraft account for 79% of all commercial aircraft serving in mainland China.

By the end of 2016, China Southern operates the nation's largest fleet with 520 aircraft, followed by China Eastern (452), Air China (369), Hainan Airlines (178) and Shenzhen Airlines (171).

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. And Shandong Airlines reached its milestone of 100 aircraft in fleet in September.

In early December, Xiamen Airlines received its first 787-9 Dreamliner, while China Southern Airlines took delivery the nation's first A320neo aircraft with one more delivered two weeks later.

In total, 16 787-9 Dreamliners were delivered to Air China, Hainan Airlines and Xiamen Airlines, with 13 777-300ER handed over in 2016.

Meanwhile, China Eastern will welcome its 600th aircraft in January 2017, to mark its 60th anniversary. With fleet expansion, the Shanghai-based carrier is set to take delivery of its first 787-9 in 2017 and first A350 XWB in 2018.

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