Air China signs agreement with COMAC to launch Boeing and Airbus widebody rival
Air China and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) have reportedly signed a framework agreement for the airline to become the launch customer for the C929 long-haul widebody aircraft.
According to Shanghai Daily, Air China and COMAC announced the deal on November 12, 2024, at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, China.
The COMAC C929 has long been touted as a potential rival to the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 but it is understood that the Chinese homegrown jet will only accommodate around 280 seats.
The Airbus A350 is promoted as having between 300 and 410 passenger seats while the 777 can carry up to 396 travelers depending on each aircraft’s configuration.
The COMAC C929 is still in the design stage so it will be several years until Air China receives its new jet.
The Shanghai Daily reported that the C929 will have a range of over 7,000 miles once completed.
The C929 was previously called the CR929 in a joint venture between Russia and China but the partnership collapsed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“All those world technology leaders who cooperated with us, and with the Chinese on the project, have stopped this cooperation,” Yury Slyusar, the General Director of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) said in 2023, blaming sanctions placed on Russia.
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The post Air China signs agreement with COMAC to launch Boeing and Airbus widebody rival appeared first on AeroTime.
Air China and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) have reportedly signed a framework agreement for the airline…
The post Air China signs agreement with COMAC to launch Boeing and Airbus widebody rival appeared first on AeroTime.
