Lao Airlines takes delivery of a single COMAC C909
LAO Airlines took delivery of a C909 jet (formerly ARJ21) at COMAC’s Shanghai facility on Sunday.
It is the second airline outside China to take delivery of the aircraft, following Indonesia’s TransNusa.
The C909 is configured with 90 seats in a single class layout and has been given the registration number RDPL-34229.
The aircraft was leased by COMAC, which had previously used it for demonstrations at air shows and which first displayed the new “C909” designation.
The delivery of the jet was made possible after Laos’ civil aviation regulator issued the type certificate on March 18, based on documents from China’s civil aviation authority, CAAC.
Founded in 1976, Lao Airlines currently operates a fleet of four Airbus A320s and seven ATR 72 turboprops.
Its flight network is based in Vientiane and serves domestic destinations as well as countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China and South Korea.
162 C909s delivered
The introduction of the C909 in Laos is part of an effort by the Chinese government to open new markets for COMAC, a state-owned commercial aircraft manufacturer that is expanding its portfolio to compete with Airbus and Boeing.
So far, only Indonesia and now Laos have accepted C909 operations, while the larger C919 is still awaiting international approval.
COMAC, however, expects to obtain type certification for the aircraft from Europe’s EASA in 2025.
According to the planemaker, 162 C909s have been delivered to date, most of which are flying in China.
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