China Eastern Airlines, the country's third-largest carrier, targets zero capacity growth this year and may cancel, delay or sell all new planes to be delivered in 2009, company sources said on Thursday.

"We do intend to trim down the order for this year, the more the better, but it all depends on the outcome of the negotiations with aircraft makers," an executive at China Eastern said.

The company does not want to add any new capacity this year given the bleak outlook and slowing traffic demand, which are hurting its yields, he added.

The company is scheduled to take deliveries of 29 planes from Boeing and Airbus in 2009, sources said.