Air China has announced the introduction of 100 extended-range models of the C919 aircraft from COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China).
The catalog price for these aircraft is approximately 10.8 billion USD, and Air China has signed the contract at a discounted rate. The purchase price remains confidential due to non-disclosure agreements. Funding for the acquisition will come from Air China’s own capital as well as bank financing, among other sources. The aircraft will be delivered in phases from 2024 to 2031.
This move will increase Air China’s capacity by about 7.5%. Some of the new aircraft will be used to replace retiring planes.
The C919 is China’s first domestically produced large passenger aircraft, with the development project starting in 2007. The first aircraft was completed in November 2015, and its inaugural flight took place in 2017. It is equipped with 158 to 192 seats and has a range of 4,075 to 5,555 kilometers. The C919 made its commercial flight debut on May 28, 2023, operated by China Eastern Airlines.
