Until now, Airbus has said the second Chinese line would open at the end of the year, with deliveries starting in 2026. Bloomberg reported in August Chinese airlines had started dividing up a 500-plane Airbus order, while Boeing waits for a similar order from China coinciding with trade talks. As part of the global aerospace jigsaw, Airbus is also courting India, where its board is visiting this week. India has called for an assembly line to match huge orders for Airbus jets from Indian airlines, matching the planemaker’s commercial factory investment in its strategic and economic rival China. An Airbus spokesperson confirmed the board visit and said it reflected India’s importance as a market and operations hub.