Paper-thin: An airline in Brunei begins operations with a borrowed plane and no AOC
Gallop Air's inaugural flight was operated by China Southern Airlines, using a newly delivered Comac C909
The airline Gallop Air, based in Brunei, conducted its first flights in December 2024 under limited conditions. Without its own aircraft or an Air Operator Certificate (AOC), the company was forced to hire the services of China Southern Airlines to begin operations.
The company made headlines in September 2023 when it announced the purchase of 30 Comac C909 aircraft in a deal valued at $2 billion. This order was the first from an airline outside China for this model, a smaller version of the ARJ21, with a capacity of 90 passengers.
The inaugural flight took place on December 31, 2024, connecting Guangzhou, China, with Darussalam, Brunei. However, it was not directly operated by Gallop Air but by China Southern Airlines, using a newly delivered Comac C909. This reliance on a third party continued on January 4 with a second charter flight operated under the same conditions, according to our media partner Aeroin.
Gallop Air presented itself as an ambitious endeavor to establish a strong presence in the Southeast Asian market, aiming to become the preferred airline in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. However, delays in aircraft deliveries and the lack of certification have raised doubts about its ability to meet its goals in a highly competitive environment.
The Comac C909, known as the ARJ21 until September 2024, is a regional aircraft designed for short and medium-haul flights. Its first commercial flight occurred in 2016, and it has been adopted by several airlines as a cost-effective option for local markets.
Gallop Air is the second airline in Brunei, following Royal Brunei Airlines, and seeks to strengthen the nation's connectivity as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. This strategy aims to enhance trade and infrastructure networks between China and over 100 countries.
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