COMAC Lands First Foreign C909 Order in Cambodia

COMAC has sold its C909 regional jet to a foreign airline for the first time, with Cambodia Airways ordering 20 aircraft. It is the first time the program, previously known in China as the ARJ21, has gone abroad under the banner of an overseas carrier. Deliveries are set to begin in the second half of 2026.

Cambodia Airways said the new jets are needed to increase carrying capacity and add more flights across its route network. For COMAC, the deal is effectively an export test for its regional aircraft and a sign of whether the model can attract demand beyond the domestic Chinese market.

The C909 is not a new program. It received its type certificate in 2014, and serial production began in 2017. The aircraft is built for short- and medium-haul routes and competes less with the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 than with regional jets from Embraer and older Bombardier models.

Key specs and program figures include:

• Capacity: 78–97 passengers
• Range: 2,225–3,700 km
• Status: the first fully developed regional jet designed in China
• Deliveries to date: 186 aircraft

According to COMAC, the C909 is already flying with more than 10 airlines, serving over 860 routes and operating more than 500 flights a day. Across its service life so far, the aircraft has carried more than 37 million passengers.

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For China’s civil aviation industry, the Cambodia Airways contract is a rare export win. Other carriers in Southeast Asia will likely be watching closely.