China's ambitions to build a domestically produced regional jet COMAC ARJ21 (also known as C909 The Vietnamese low-cost airline's efforts to establish itself on the global market have suffered a setback. VietJet Air, the only major non-Chinese operator of the type so far, has discontinued flight operations with the jet after only six months The trial has ended. The end of the trial is considered a setback for the Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC in its efforts to position its products internationally.
The agreement included a so-called Wet lease with Chengdu AirlinesVietJet operated two ARJ21 aircraft, including Chinese flight crews. The contract expired on October 18, 2025, and was not renewed. VietJet used the jets for short domestic routes such as Hanoi-Con Dao. This pilot project in Southeast Asia was closely followed by the international aviation industry, as it was considered an important test case for the export capability of China's regional aircraft program. The ARJ21, whose development dates back to 2002 and which entered commercial service in 2016, is primarily operated in China by state-owned airlines such as Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern Airlines, which have placed large orders for the jet.
VietJet cited the following reasons for the early termination of the lease agreement. high operating costs, the Dependence on foreign occupation forces and the limited maintenance supportAccording to sources, there were no reports of safety or performance issues with the aircraft themselves, suggesting that the decision was primarily based on logistical and economic factors. The termination of the Chinese-developed jet, which relies heavily on Western components such as GE CF34-10A engines, underscores the challenges COMAC faces in establishing a global support infrastructure.
While COMAC is increasingly pushing into the domestic market in China with the ARJ21 and the larger C919, acquiring international customers remains difficult. The only other airline outside of China operating the ARJ21 is the Indonesian airline. TransNusa, which, however, only flies a small number of aircraft. The discontinuation of VietJet operations demonstrates that the Chinese aviation industry's export efforts still face significant obstacles, particularly regarding operating costs and technical support.