Air Cambodia（柬埔寨国家航空）has signed an agreement with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd.（中国商飞）, better known as COMAC, to purchase 20 C909 regional jets, with the first batch scheduled for phased delivery and entry into service beginning in the second half of 2026.
The agreement was signed in Shanghai on July 17. According to COMAC, it makes Air Cambodia the first foreign flag carrier to place a bulk order for the China-developed regional aircraft. No purchase price, financing terms or full delivery schedule was disclosed.
The latest agreement follows a memorandum of understanding signed by the two companies in September 2025. That earlier arrangement covered 10 confirmed orders and letters of intent for another 10 aircraft. The new announcement describes all 20 aircraft as being covered by a purchase agreement, representing a further step in Air Cambodia’s planned fleet expansion.
Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation also signed a memorandum of understanding with COMAC covering operational support, personnel development, maintenance training and broader civil-aviation cooperation. These arrangements will be important as Cambodia prepares to introduce a new aircraft type into commercial service.
Formerly known as the ARJ21, the C909 is a short- to medium-range regional jet with seating for 78 to 97 passengers and a stated range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers. It is designed primarily for routes connecting major hubs with smaller cities and regional destinations.
The Air Cambodia agreement is not the C909’s first overseas deployment. COMAC delivered the first aircraft to Indonesian carrier TransNusa in December 2022, while leased C909s have subsequently entered service with Lao Airlines and Vietjet Air. COMAC said that, as of February 2026, nine C909s operated by carriers in Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam had carried more than 700,000 passengers across more than 20 routes.
What distinguishes the Air Cambodia agreement is its scale and the status of the customer. A 20-aircraft commitment from a national flag carrier gives COMAC a more prominent reference customer in Southeast Asia and could strengthen the manufacturer’s position as it seeks further international orders.
The deal also highlights the operational infrastructure required for aircraft exports. Introducing a new fleet involves pilot and mechanic training, spare-parts support, maintenance capability and coordination with local aviation regulators. The accompanying cooperation agreement suggests that COMAC and the Cambodian authorities are addressing these requirements alongside the aircraft purchase, although no dedicated local maintenance base has yet been announced.
Southeast Asia is a potentially important market for regional aircraft because many routes connect secondary cities, islands and neighboring countries without consistently generating enough demand for larger single-aisle jets. The C909 could therefore give airlines another option in the regional segment, which has long been led by established manufacturers, particularly Embraer.
For COMAC, however, the agreement’s broader commercial significance will depend on execution. Timely deliveries, regulatory acceptance, operational reliability, after-sales support and fleet economics will ultimately determine whether the Air Cambodia order becomes a springboard for further overseas sales.