Thai LCC to Buy 20 ARJ21-700s: Source

Thai low-cost carrier (LCC) City Airways will place an order for 20 COMAC ARJ21-700 aircraft at the China 2015 Aviation Expo on September 16, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday.

This will be the largest order for the ARJ21-700 aircraft from an overseas customer, the source said.

In August 2014, City Airways was grounded by Thailand's Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) as the carrier had not been following maintenance procedures on its 20-year old Boeing 737-400 and -800 aircraft. Lawson Marsh acquired City Airways in October 2014. After the restructuring, the airline has a new shareholding structure and turns around its performance under the new management.

Based at Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport, the budget airline operates scheduled domestic and international charter services from Bangkok and other destinations in Thailand. It owns a fleet of two Boeing 737-400s and four -800s.

The carrier said it will boost its capacity and step up its fleet expansion in the next three years. According to its 2015 plan, it will take delivery of 15 new aircraft and launch flights from Thailand to a dozen of Chinese destinations, such as Nanjing, Tianjin, Changsha, Nanchang, etc.

The ARJ21-700 is a 70-90 seat regional aircraft which made its maiden flight in 2008. It has been granted a commercial type certificate by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in late 2014, with deliveries scheduled in November 2015. The aircraft is expected to enter commercial service in Feb. 2016.

COMAC has secured 315 orders for the ARJ21-700 from 19 customers at home and abroad.