Shenzhen Airlines and Loong Air have signalled interest in adding COMAC C919 narrowbodies to their fleets, but neither carrier has confirmed a firm order. Comments made at an aviation forum in Guangzhou indicate growing attention from Chinese airlines to the homegrown jet as COMAC works through production limits that continue to constrain deliveries.
Shenzhen Airlines’ deputy president for engineering and technology indicated the carrier hopes to operate the C919 in the near future, while Loong Air executives expressed strong interest in the aircraft. Shenzhen Airlines, China’s fifth-largest carrier by fleet size, remains heavily dependent on Airbus jets and already has additional A320neo-family aircraft on order. Loong Air is also expanding and diversifying its fleet, with the C919 under consideration alongside other narrowbody options.
The latest expressions of interest add to signs that the C919 is being weighed by more Chinese airlines as a substitute for, or complement to, Airbus A320neo-family and Boeing 737-class aircraft. Supply-chain constraints and COMAC’s production pace remain the main hurdles to near-term fleet plans, particularly for carriers looking for faster deliveries.