China's homegrown jetliner C909 enters Lao market

China's domestically developed regional jetliner, the C909, marked another milestone in its international expansion as Lao Airlines took delivery of the aircraft on Sunday, becoming its second overseas operator.

This C909 aircraft, featuring a 90-seat all-economy class configuration, was delivered under a leasing arrangement. It is expected to undergo a series of preparations in Laos before entering commercial operations.

According to the aircraft maker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC), the C909, bearing interior and exterior signage in Lao and a custom-designed livery, boasts excellent high-temperature performance and the ability to take off and land on short and narrow runways. These features ensure that it is able to adapt to Southeast Asia's operational environment.

COMAC has established a dedicated team to assist Lao Airlines with various preparations, including manual development, personnel training, spare parts support and maintenance capability.

Formerly known as ARJ21, the C909 aircraft is a domestically developed regional jetliner with a range of 2,225 to 3,700 km, making it suitable for most domestic routes in Laos as well as regional international flights.

So far, 162 units of C909 have been delivered, serving 645 routes across 158 cities and safely transporting over 20 million passengers, said COMAC.

In 2022, this model was delivered to its first overseas client TransNusa, an Indonesian airline, making it China's first indigenously developed passenger jetliner to enter foreign markets.