CHENGDU, Dec. 22 -- The first A320 aircraft introduced to the Chinese mainland retired on Monday after 20 years in service for Sichuan Airlines.

The aircraft, numbered B-2340, joined Sichuan Airlines on Dec. 25, 1995. It completed 36,338 takeoffs and landings and had a flight time of more than 60,000 hours.

The aircraft was leased from the International Lease Finance Corporation, an aircraft leaser later acquired by AerCap, a global leader in aircraft leasing.

Sichuan Airlines, headquartered in the southwestern city of Chengdu, will bring in an A320neo aircraft from AerCap to replace the old one.