Brunei-based GallopAir, the only airline outside of China to have ordered the COMAC C919, has launched its flights with the Chinese plane maker’s other jet, the C909, formerly known as the ARJ21
.
Launching with charter flights
GallopAir launched commercial operations with a charter flight on December 31, when China Southern Airlines
ferried one of its C909 aircraft to Brunei International Airport (BWN) to operate flights on behalf of the former. The regional jet, registered as B-657R, later departed on flight CZ5510 toward Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
(CAN).
Photo: Gilang Putraditya Purba | Shutterstock
On the same day, China-owned Xinhua News Agency reported that the C909 departed Guangzhou for Brunei, highlighting that this was the first time a Chinese-built aircraft landed in the Southeast Asian country.
During the ceremony, Xiao Jianguo, the ambassador of China to Brunei, said that the new flights between Guangzhou and Brunei marked a new step in the construction of connectivity per the Belt and Road Initiative. Jianguo noted that Chinese carriers have a strong interest in flying to Brunei, according to Xinhua News Agency.
On January 4, China Southern Airlines operated another charter flight on the Guangzhou-Brunei route. The C909, registered as B-657N, left the Chinese city at 9:01 local time (UTC +8) and arrived at Brunei’s main airport at 12:23 local time (UTC +8).
The C909 operated the return itinerary, CZ5510, on the same day, with the regional jet leaving Brunei at 13:35 and arriving on Chinese soil at 16:49.
Related
COMAC To Rebrand ARJ21 Aircraft As C909
COMAC is set to rebrand its ARJ21 as the C909, an improved version of the ARJ21, aiming to boost market recognition and enhance its global appeal.
Sole C919 customer outside of China
GallopAir made headlines in September 2023 when the Brunei-based carrier ordered 30 aircraft from COMAC, with the order being split between 15 ARJ21 – now known as the C909 – and 15 C919
, China’s competitor to the Airbus A320neo
and Boeing 737 MAX 8
.
The letter of intent (LoI) marked the first time that a non-China-based airline has actually ordered the C919. When GallopAir plans to welcome its first C909 or C919 aircraft remains unclear, considering that its first flights were operated by China Southern Airlines and not under its own air operator’s certificate (AOC).
Photo: DLeng | Shutterstock
At the same time, the airline’s main shareholder, the Singapore-based entity GallopAir, is owned by China-based Shaanxi Tianju Investment Group, as confirmed by Cham Chi, the chief executive officer (CEO) of GallopAir in an interview with The Bruneian in October 2023.
Chi emphasized that the main goal was to bring more connectivity between nations in Southeast Asia, including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, with the executive pointing out that GallopAir’s main goal was to become the preferred airline for people traveling across the region.
“We consider ourselves not just an airline but a bridge that brings nations and people closer together.”
Related
Brunei Startup Gallop Air Agrees To Buy COMAC ARJ21 Aircraft
The airline could be the second overseas operator of the Chinese-made plane.
Increasing international presence
However, COMAC has sought to establish its presence elsewhere across Asia and Southeast Asia, including pitching the C919 to airlines in Cambodia, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan. A previous Bloomberg report identified the trio of carriers that COMAC contacted: Angkor Air, Garuda Indonesia
, and SCAT Airlines.
Previously, Brazil-based Total Linhas Aereas has been reportedly talking with COMAC to add C919s to its fleet of five aircraft, including one ATR 42-500, one converted Boeing 727 freighter (inactive, stored at Porto Alegre Salgado Filho International Airport [POA]), and three converted 737-400 freighters.
While the Chinese plane maker can offer airlines the ability to receive their aircraft much faster, considering the current queue of deliveries for the A320neo and 737 MAX aircraft families, as well as the supply chain constraints faced by Airbus and Boeing, there are risks associated with choosing the China-assembled aircraft.
Photo: Mike Fuchslocher | Shutterstock
This includes the fact that China has sided ever closer with Russia after the latter’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and with Donald Trump inching closer to his inauguration on January 20, the incoming US president could impose further trade restrictions on China and its industries, including aerospace.
As a result, the flow of Western-made parts to support the assembly of the C919 could halt or slow down considerably. COMAC already has a relatively slow production rate, with the company having delivered 16 C919 aircraft between December 2022 and December 2024.
Related
COMAC Aims To Grow International C919 Customer Base
COMAC has already secured a preliminary agreement from Brunei-based GallopAir in September 2023.
