Vietjet Stops Operating Chinese COMAC C909 Aircraft After Lease Agreement Ends
Vietnamese low-cost carrier Vietjet has ceased operations of its two China-built COMAC C909 aircraft as of October 18, following the expiration of a six-month lease agreement, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
The arrival of the C909s in Vietnam came less than a week after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Hanoi in April—an event that was widely interpreted as a gesture of strategic and economic rapprochement between the two countries. However, Vietjet has chosen not to renew the lease and, for now, has no plans to purchase aircraft from the state-owned Chinese manufacturer COMAC.
A Milestone Agreement for COMAC
The lease of the C909 represented a significant step forward for COMAC, marking the first operation of Chinese-made aircraft on domestic routes in Vietnam, including Hanoi–Con Dao and Ho Chi Minh City–Con Dao.
To date, COMAC has struggled to establish a foothold outside China, making this contract a key opportunity for the manufacturer’s international expansion.
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Costs and Regulatory Constraints Behind the Decision
One of the sources indicated that Vietjet’s decision was primarily driven by high operating costs, linked to the need for foreign flight crews and maintenance services, as well as certain regulatory restrictions under Vietnamese aviation law.
During the lease period, flights were operated by crews from Chengdu Airlines, according to Reuters.
The same source suggested that the airline may consider a new leasing model in the future, though no potential partners or manufacturers were disclosed.
Both sources confirmed that the C909s did not experience any operational issues during their time in service in Vietnam. The two aircraft performed their final flights on Friday, covering the Con Dao–Hanoi route, according to data from FlightRadar24.
C909: China’s First Commercial Jet
The COMAC C909, previously known as the ARJ21, is China’s first domestically produced commercial jet. With capacity for up to 90 passengers, it entered service in 2016.
COMAC has been promoting the model as a cornerstone of its expansion strategy in Southeast Asia, with operations in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Laos, as well as orders from Air Cambodia and an unnamed airline in Brunei.
Vietjet Continues to Rely on Airbus and Boeing
With a fleet of over 100 aircraft, Vietjet primarily operates Airbus models and holds significant orders for Boeing 737 MAX jets, reaffirming its preference for well-established global manufacturers.
The end of this lease marks the conclusion of a short but noteworthy chapter in Vietnam–China aviation cooperation, while leaving open the question of COMAC’s future prospects in its efforts to gain ground beyond its domestic market.
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