The arrival of a Chinese commercial aircraft in Brazil could happen very quickly if Total Linhas Aéreas orders the C919 from COMAC.
As our associated media outlet in Brazil AEROIN exclusively reported two weeks ago, executives from the airline, which currently operates in the cargo and passenger charter sector, plan to travel to China next month to evaluate the regional jet ARJ21 (a local version of the American Douglas DC-9, with wing design by the Ukrainian Antonov) and the C919, which is the first commercial aircraft 100% developed in China.
Both aircraft are manufactured by the state-owned COMAC – Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, and have not yet been sold outside of Asia, with the vast majority of orders coming from companies in China itself.
Now, one of Total’s partners, Paulo Almada, provided Reuters with details of the negotiation, even mentioning the delivery timeframe, which would be the key differentiator for Total, as Brazilian Embraer could only deliver new jets by 2026, while Airbus and Boeing would do so by 2028.
“The sector is dealing with a supply shortage, but COMAC told us they could deliver the aircraft by March of next year,” Almada said.
Another factor for choosing the Chinese jet, particularly the C919, is that it competes more directly with the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX in the 180-seat category, while the Embraer E195-E2 is in the 140-seat class.
Almada also stated that the company initially plans to acquire four C919 aircraft, without providing details on how many ARJ21s might be targeted by Total Linhas Aéreas.
The COMAC C919 entered commercial service in May 2023 with China Eastern Airlines, following the development phase of the program, which began in 2011.
All of the more than 1,000 C919s that COMAC claims to have on firm order are from Chinese airlines. Last year, GallopAir, from Brunei, signed a letter of intent for 30 aircraft, which, if finalized, would be the first foreign firm order for the C919, unless TOTAL takes the lead now.
Currently, there are already nine aircraft operating in China, the only country where it has been certified, although last month they stated they were working to achieve European certification by 2025, a date that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) reportedly found unrealistic, given that it is a completely new aircraft. This certification would be crucial for COMAC, as it would open the C919 to the African market, where China maintains a significant trade relationship with most countries.
The ARJ21, a model similar to the iconic MD-80 or DC-9, has been in operation since 2015 and has managed to cross China’s borders. Transnusa of Indonesia has two aircraft in commercial service (out of 30 ordered), while GallupAir from Brunei and Equatorial Congo Airlines have ordered 12 and 3 aircraft, respectively.
Expansion plans and TOTAL’s return to regular passenger flights
TOTAL Linhas Aéreas is undergoing a transformation phase, which includes its return to regular passenger flights, with a focus on the regional market. The airline plans to establish its operational center at the Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport (BSB) in Brasilia, from where it expects to offer an extensive network of regional flights. 
Currently, TOTAL operates a fleet of four Boeing 737-400 SF for cargo flights and one ATR 42-300. It has contracts with Petrobras, transporting personnel for the company. The last time TOTAL operated regular flights was in 2007, before being replaced by the now-defunct TRIP Linhas Aéreas, which was later acquired by Azul Linhas Aéreas.
The airline has reserved registrations in the Brazilian Aeronautical Registry (RAB) for two ATR 72 and is in negotiations to add a third ATR 72-500, reinforcing its intention to return with a modern and efficient fleet. Now, the evaluation of the COMAC ARJ21 could add a new dimension to its expansion plan.
