(Yicai) March 31 -- Lao Airlines, the flagship carrier of Laos, has received its first C909 regional passenger plane from the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, becoming the first jet developed independently by China to enter the Southeast Asian country.

Comac leased and delivered the C909, previously known as ARJ21, to Lao Airlines yesterday, the plane maker announced on the same day. The jet is registered under RDPL-34229, has a 90-seat all-economy class layout, and will start operating after preparatory work is completed, it added.

The deal marks a significant step in the international expansion of China's commercial aircraft sector. Indonesia is the only other country outside China operating Comac planes, with local carrier TransNusa flying C909s, while several Southeast Asian nations prepare to add such aircraft to their fleets.

On March 18, the Civil Aviation Authority of Laos issued an Aircraft Type Acceptance Certificate for the C909 to Comac, indicating that the jet has met the country's basic conditions for commercial operation. The aircraft maker has set up a special team to assist Lao Airlines with preparatory tasks, including manual preparation, personnel training, aviation material support, and maintenance capacity building.

In addition, Comac has dispatched a support team of professionals from the flight, cabin crew, operation control, maintenance, and other areas to fully ensure the safe and efficient operation of the C909 in Laos.

The C909 is a turbofan regional airliner with a range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers, capable of operating on most domestic routes in Laos and surrounding international routes. It also has good high-temperature performance and can take off and land on short and narrow runways, showing strong adaptability to the operating environment in Southeast Asia.

Comac has delivered 162 C909 aircraft, which run 645 routes between 158 cities and have safely transported more than 20 million passengers.

Lao Airlines, which aims to promote connectivity in Laos and surrounding regions, is expanding its capacity and renewing its fleet. Leasing the C909 will help the airline supplement its capacity and upgrade its fleet to meet the growing development needs of the local air travel market.

Editor: Martin Kadiev