The transition from the current Airbus A330 to the A330neo was never going to be easy. But that it has become as difficult as it is now has a lot to do with one market that Airbus thought would be ideal for both aircraft: China. In late 2013, Airbus launched the A330 Regional. Certifying the A330 with a low maximum weight to save a little on operational costs was supposed to add to its attraction. Airbus hoped the regional variant would help secure a Chinese order for up to 200 A330s, which would have helped considerably with keeping the A330 line at or close to its current production rate for about two more years. As an added incentive, Airbus was prepared to open an A330 completion center in China to fit interiors to otherwise complete aircraft flown in from Toulouse.
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