The displayed C909 aircraft at the ongoing the 15th China International Aerospace Expo in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province on November 12, 2024 Photo: Courtesy of COMAC

Cambodia Airways has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) for the procurement of 20 C909 airliners, COMAC said on Tuesday, in a major deal for China's homegrown passenger jet.

The MOU involves the planned procurement of 20 C909 aircraft, with 10 being confirmed orders and the remaining 10 as intended orders, according to the official WeChat account of COMAC. 

Under the MOU, both parties will engage in close collaboration regarding aircraft introduction, operational support, and industry development, the COMAC added. 

Cambodia Airways is the flag carrier invested in and legally established by the Royal Government of Cambodia. It is the only airline in Cambodia to have received the IATA Operational Safety Audit certification and the only one awarded a three-star Skytrax rating, according to COMAC.

The C909 is China's first new medium- and short-range turbofan regional airliner independently developed in accordance with international civil aviation regulations and with independent intellectual property rights. It seats 78-97 people and has a range of 2,225-3,700 kilometers. It received its type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China on December 30, 2014, and its production license on July 9, 2017. Currently, the C909 has officially entered route operations and is experiencing strong market performance and sales, according to the official website of COMAC. 

June 28 this year marked the ninth anniversary of the commercial operation of China's domestically developed regional jetliner C909. To date, a total of 166 C909s have been delivered to the market, operating on more than 700 routes and transporting more than 24 million passenger trips, the Xinhua News Agency reported on June 28. 

The C909 has also seen steadily growing operations in Southeast Asia. Starting on April 18, 2023, the C909 began operations in Indonesia, Laos, and Vietnam. To date, three overseas airlines - Indonesia Air, Lao Airlines, and VietJet Air - operate seven C909 aircraft in Southeast Asia, serving 15 routes and 18 cities, carrying over 370,000 passenger trips, according to the Xinhua report. 

Global Times