China’s First C909 Aircraft Delivered to Lao Airlines

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) entered a new market on Sunday, with the first delivery of a C909 aircraft to Laos.  

The 90-seat economy class plane, registered as RDPL-34229, has been handed over to Lao Airlines on a lease basis. Internal and external signage is in Laotian, with the Dok Champa, the national flower of Laos, printed on the tail.

The C909 is a domestically developed turbofan regional jet with a flying  range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers, capable of serving most domestic and regional routes around Laos. 

The aircraft model has good high-temperature performance and takeoff and landing capabilities on short and narrow runways. 

To date, COMAC has delivered a total of 162 C909 aircraft to customers operating 645 routes, serving 158 cities and safely transporting over 20 million passengers.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Laos granted the C909 a type acceptance certificate, confirming its compliance with the country’s commercial aviation requirements. COMAC has established a dedicated support team to assist Lao Airlines in operational preparations, including manual development, personnel training, spare parts support and maintenance capability building. 

A specialized team covering flight operations, cabin services, dispatch and maintenance has been deployed to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the aircraft in Laos.