China's 9 Air Selects Ali-Jiatai as Seat Supplier for its Boeing 737

Chinese startup 9 Air (AQ) has selected AVIC Hubei Ali-Jiatai Aircraft Equipment Co., Ltd., a homemade airline seat maker, to supply seats for its Boeing 737 aircraft.

9 Air and Ali-Jiatai signed a Boeing 737 seat supply agreement in Beijing on Tuesday afternoon. According to the agreement, Ali-Jiatai will become the seat supplier for the low-cost carrier's 737 aircraft starting 2016. It is the first time that the homemade seat supplier has become a factory-fit option for customers worldwide.

The airline seats developed by Ali-Jiatai have gained the CAAC airworthiness approval and can be installed on aircraft with the airworthiness approval for installation, said Yin Shijun, director of CAAC's Airworthiness Certification Division.

"The seats could be installed on the 737 aircraft in the facility before their delivery to 9 Air," said Yin. "I believe this will be a triple win for Ali-Jiatai, 9 Air and Boeing."

Part types of Ali-Jiatai seats have obtained FAA's airworthiness approval, promoting Boeing to make Ali-Jiatai a supplier of its aircraft equipment.

The cooperation with China-based seat producer is expected to lower purchase and maintenance costs for the budget carrier, and improve its profitability.

9 Air, based at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), is a low-cost subsidiary owned by Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines (HO). The budget carrier commenced operations in December 2014, offering domestic flights from Guangzhou and expanding into Southeast Asia in the future. The airline placed an order for 50 737 Next Generation aircraft in May 2014.

Ali-Jiatai is a specialist in the design, development, manufacture and sale of aircraft interiors. As a fast developing enterprise, Ali-Jiatai has drawn the industry's attentions in recent years. Their seats been installed on the aircraft from various airlines in China, such as China Eastern Airlines (MU), China Southern Airlines (CZ), Shenzhen Airlines (ZH) and Juneyao Airlines.