The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has injected 634 million yuan (US$91.76 million) into its affiliate Chengdu Airlines to broaden the international reach of the C909 regional airliner. Combined with other funding, this has nearly tripled the airline's registered capital from 680 million yuan to 2 billion yuan. Analysts see the move as groundwork for deploying more C909s on commercial flights to Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Russia.
The state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), manufacturer of the C909 regional airliner and its flagship narrowbody C919, recently infused 634 million yuan (US$91.76 million) into Chengdu Airlines, the launch customer for the C909, in which the planemaker holds a 48 per cent controlling stake.
Combined with funding from other sources, the injection has nearly tripled Chengdu Airlines’ registered capital from 680 million yuan to 2 billion yuan. Analysts viewed the move as laying the groundwork for more C909s to reach locales in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Russia on commercial flights.
As the carrier seeks new international routes—and Comac aims to compete with Western giants Boeing and Airbus—the C909 has already been added to a number of international routes and the fleets of overseas carriers. Chengdu Airlines put out notices in recent months recruiting partners for new international routes using the C909, including service to Vladivostok and Khabarovsk in Russia and Osh in Kyrgyzstan.
This funding is seen as part of Comac's efforts to enhance the C909's competitiveness in global markets.