Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao reported today (April 20) that "it is understood that Malaysia Airlines is considering purchasing large passenger aircraft developed in China, including the C909, C919, and the under-development C929."
Currently, the C909 regional aircraft has been delivered to three Southeast Asian countries, with customers in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Laos; the C919 mainline aircraft is currently serving the domestic market through the three major airlines of China and is expected to make breakthroughs overseas by 2026.
In terms of policy and strategy, this reflects an important manifestation of deepening cooperation between China and Malaysia. On April 17, a joint statement was issued by China and Malaysia, supporting Malaysian airlines in introducing and operating Chinese commercial aircraft. As Malaysia's largest state-owned airline, Malaysia Airlines actively responded to the policy, considering the introduction of Chinese aircraft from a strategic perspective to promote trade exchanges between China and Malaysia and strengthen bilateral economic cooperation.
From the perspective of its own operational needs, purchasing Chinese aircraft is a natural choice for Malaysia Airlines. Malaysia Airlines operates several airlines targeting different markets, with Firefly and MASwings focusing on the Southeast Asian market, based at Subang International Airport. The C909 and other small regional aircraft have a range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers, with a maximum takeoff weight of 40,500 kilograms. Their excellent performance in short and narrow runway operations, high-altitude, cold, hot, and high-altitude airport takeoffs and landings, as well as their strong crosswind capabilities, are highly compatible with the operational needs of this airport and the complex geographical environment and climatic conditions of Southeast Asia.
The inherent advantages of Chinese aircraft are key factors attracting Malaysia Airlines. In terms of performance, the C919, China's first jetliner developed according to international airworthiness standards with independent intellectual property rights, has a seat capacity of 158 to 192 seats and a range of 4,075 to 5,555 kilometers, placing it in the same category as Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. Its passenger capacity and other indicators meet the requirements for mainline operations, and it has a 15% operational cost advantage compared to the Airbus A320neo. The C909 has demonstrated good reliability and adaptability in its 162 delivered aircraft, cumulatively operating 645 routes and reaching 158 cities, safely transporting over 20 million passengers. If the C929 is successfully developed, as a long-haul wide-body aircraft, it will meet the needs of Malaysia Airlines' long-haul international routes. In terms of price, the list price of the C919 is 20% lower than that of comparable models. Combined with preferential loans from the Export-Import Bank of China, the overall procurement cost can be reduced by 30%, which is very attractive to cash-strapped airlines. Additionally, COMAC has committed to setting up a parts center in Penang and providing pilot training support and other localized services, addressing Malaysia Airlines' concerns and enhancing the feasibility of cooperation.
This event is not only significant for Malaysia Airlines' own development but will also drive China's commercial aircraft further into the international market, boost the development of China's aviation industry, inject new vitality into cooperation between China and Malaysia in the aviation sector and related industries, and contribute to building a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1829881361900618/
Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author.