CDB Aviation delivers Boeing 737-8 to China Southern Airlines

Irish aircraft lessor CDB Aviation has delivered a Boeing 737-8 to China Southern Airlines, the latest transaction in an expanding financing relationship between the Dublin-based lessor and one of China's largest carriers.

According to Business Wire, the delivery brings the total number of CDB Aviation aircraft on long-term lease to China Southern to three, following the receipt of two Airbus A321-251NXs from the lessor's orderbook in August 2025.

CDB Aviation is a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Limited, and holds investment-grade ratings from Moody's (A2), S&P Global (A) and Fitch (A+).

Michelle Wu, CDB Aviation's Head of Commercial for Greater China, said the company was deepening its collaboration with China Southern. "We continue to provide financing solutions to our partner airlines in the Greater China region," she said, adding that the delivery of the latest-generation aircraft would help reinforce the carrier's growth strategy across key markets.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is a single-aisle narrowbody powered by CFM International LEAP-1B engines, offering operators improved fuel efficiency relative to previous-generation 737 variants. China Southern operates one of the largest fleets in the Asia-Pacific region, with an extensive domestic and international narrowbody network.

The delivery reflects sustained lessor activity in the Greater China market, where airlines continue to expand capacity on domestic trunk routes and short-haul international services. Irish-domiciled lessors remain among the most active participants in aircraft financing across the region, with Ireland accounting for approximately 60% of the global aircraft leasing market by value.

Discover the original report on how CDB Aviation is strengthening its partnership with China Southern through strategic aircraft financing and fleet expansion.