Air Cambodia buys 20 Chinese-built C909 regional jets; first foreign carrier to place bulk order

Air Cambodia’s deal for 20 COMAC C909 regional jets underscores a growing push to scale connectivity with Chinese-built airliners. The national flag carrier signed an agreement with COMAC in Shanghai to become the first foreign flag carrier to place a bulk order for the C909. Deliveries are scheduled for the second half of 2026, with the first batch entering commercial service. The aircraft seats 78 to 97 passengers and offers a 2,225 to 3,700 km range, designed for short, narrow runways and for hot, high-altitude and crosswind operations. Air Cambodia expects the fleet to expand its route network and capacity. Separately, COMAC and Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation signed an MOU covering safety, airworthiness certification and training cooperation. The C909 is formerly ARJ21 and has expanded overseas since April 2023 in Indonesia.