China Eastern Airlines Corp, the nation's third-largest carrier, is in talks with Airbus SAS and Boeing Co to buy planes as travel demand grows in the world's second-largest aviation market.

China Eastern may buy either Airbus A320s or Boeing 737s, President Cao Jianxiong said yesterday in Singapore, Bloomberg News reported. Both are single-aisle aircraft.

Carriers in China are ordering more planes as economic growth boosts travel demand in the world's most populous country. Chinese airlines may fly 210 million passengers in 2008, compared with an expected 185 million last year, the aviation regulator said.

"We are looking to expand because of the Beijing Olympics this year," Cao said.

The planes will be used on both the airline's local and international routes.

(Shanghai Daily February 21, 2008)