Brazil’s Total Linhas Aéreas, a small cargo and charter airline, is reportedly in discussions with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) regarding a potential order for four C919 aircraft. This narrow-body jet, designed to compete with the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max, may soon join Total Linhas Aéreas’ fleet if negotiations advance as planned. According to a report by Reuters, one of the airline’s executives is scheduled to visit COMAC in October to further the talks.

While Total Linhas Aéreas has not made a formal order, the Brazilian Ports and Airports Minister, Silvio Costa Filho, confirmed the government’s awareness of the carrier’s interest in expanding its fleet with the C919. The airline has expressed the necessity to seek alternative aircraft suppliers as delivery slots for the A320neo and 737 Max are fully booked until the next decade. Additionally, Brazil’s Embraer does not offer a large aircraft type suitable for the airline’s expansion needs.

Current Fleet of Total Linhas Aéreas

At present, Total Linhas Aéreas operates a modest fleet of eight aircraft. This includes:

• One ATR 42-500
• Three Boeing 727 freighters (converted)
• Four Boeing 737-400 freighters (converted)

The fleet has an average age of 29.4 years, with the Boeing 727 freighters averaging a remarkable 46.3 years. The ATR 42-500, registered as PR-TTK, is notably operated on behalf of Petrobras, Brazil’s state-owned petroleum company. The airline’s aging fleet highlights the necessity of fleet renewal, further justifying the interest in the C919.

The COMAC C919 and Its Global Reach

COMAC’s C919 has thus far seen most of its orders from Chinese airlines and aircraft leasing companies. The manufacturer has a backlog of 680 aircraft, but it has only delivered 15 units to date, including six testbeds used for testing purposes. Among the airlines currently operating the C919 are:

• China Eastern Airlines: 7 aircraft
• Air China: 1 aircraft
• China Southern Airlines: 1 aircraft

In April 2023, China Southern Airlines entered into a significant agreement with COMAC to purchase 100 C919s, making it the last of China’s three major carriers to order the aircraft. China Eastern Airlines and Air China have backlogs of 98 and 104 C919s, respectively, while China Southern Airlines’ deal has added 100 more to its order book. The remaining 474 C919s are not yet assigned to any airline, but it is worth noting that the current data might not fully account for China Southern Airlines’ recent agreement.

Outside of China, Brunei-based startup airline GallopAir has also placed a mixed order for 15 C919s and 15 ARJ21s from COMAC, aiming to launch operations by the end of the year using the ARJ21.

C919’s Operational Growth in China

China Eastern Airlines, the first carrier to receive the C919, introduced the aircraft into commercial service in May 2023, following the delivery of its first unit in December 2022. Since then, the airline has progressively received six more C919s, with the latest being delivered on July 29, 2023.

However, operational data from aviation analytics company Cirium reveals a fluctuating flight schedule for the C919. In April, just before receiving its sixth aircraft, China Eastern Airlines had scheduled 94 weekly departures using the C919, the same figure as in March. By May, that number dipped to 80 weekly departures, but the summer months saw a steady rise in C919-operated flights, with 104 weekly departures in June and 126 in July, reaching a peak of 154 weekly flights in August.

As of September, the number of weekly itineraries for the C919 dropped slightly to 146, though this trend is set to continue with China Airlines and China Southern Airlines each scheduling 28 weekly departures for October, while China Eastern Airlines plans to maintain 154 weekly flights with the jet.

The potential order from Total Linhas Aéreas would mark a significant milestone for COMAC, as the C919 has thus far been primarily sold to Chinese operators. Should this deal go through, it would highlight the growing global interest in the C919 as an alternative to the Boeing 737 Max and Airbus A320neo, especially for airlines facing delivery shortages from these manufacturers. Total Linhas Aéreas’ pursuit of this aircraft also underscores the carrier’s need to modernize its fleet and expand its operational capabilities in the competitive airline market.

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Sources:

• Simple Flying
• Featured image by Alexandro Dias via Wikimedia