Vietnamese budget carrier VietJet has ended operations of its COMAC C909 aircraft, China’s first domestically produced jet, after the airline’s six-month lease on the aircraft expired.
The aircraft was introduced in April following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Hanoi. The launch was a breakthrough for COMAC, as it marked Vietnam’s first use of the jet domestically, in addition to strengthening economic and political ties between China and Vietnam.
Vietjet opted not to extend its lease, instead letting it expire. High operating costs related to crew and maintenance played a role in the decision, according to Reuters. For now, the airline does not have immediate plans to purchase COMAC aircraft.
There were no operational issues with the COMAC jets during the six-month lease.
Vietjet’s COMAC aircraft were operated by China’s Chengdu Airlines. The final flight took place on Friday, Oct. 17, with the last flight touching down at 4:30 pm local time.
Additionally, the two Vietjet COMAC C909s, B-652G and B-656E, made their way back up to Chengdu, China, late Tuesday night:
COMAC still has a way to go for its aircraft to reach a global scale. Vietjet’s fleet and existing orders are dominated by Boeing and Airbus, and the high operating costs are perhaps a byproduct of the existing monopoly.
In recent years, China has used Southeast Asia as a place to introduce its abilities and products in transportation, such as high-speed rail, and Vietjet’s COMAC lease is another result of that effort. As the Chinese aircraft manufacturer further develops its jets while to an extent struggling to find foreign customers, its Southeast Asian market will remain a key player.
Featured image by Wikimedia Commons.
