Air China first customer for COMAC’s C929 widebody

Air China has been named as the launch customer for Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China’s (COMAC) C929 wide-body aircraft.

The agreement was revealed at the 15th China International Aerospace Expo in Zhuhai, marking a milestone in China’s efforts to expand its domestic aviation manufacturing.

The C929, currently in preliminary design, is expected to carry 280 passengers with a range of 12,000 km, complementing Air China’s existing fleet of COMAC’s C919 and ARJ21 (now rebranded as C909) jets.

The C929 will likely replace Air China’s ageing Boeing 777s.

As COMAC gears up to become a central player in the aviation industry, it envisions delivering over 9,300 aircraft domestically by 2043, establishing China as a major global aviation market.

In August, Air China received its inaugural C919 aircraft. The first aircraft was an extended range version in a two-class layout with 158 seats, including 8 business class seats and 150 economy class seats.

COMAC has also secured orders for the C909 regional jets from two airlines. HNA Group ordered 40 C909s to operate with its subsidiary, Urumqi Air, scheduled for delivery from 2025 to 2032. Urumqi Air is also set to receive up to 60 COMAC C919s.

Meanwhile, Guizhou Airlines has committed to 20 C909s with an option for 10 more, though delivery dates have not been specified.