Brazilian airline Total Linhas Aereas, a small cargo and charter carrier, is in advanced talks to become the first company outside Asia to purchase aircraft from China’s state-owned planemaker, COMAC.

As reported by Reuters, This move signals COMAC’s ambition to penetrate a global passenger jet market traditionally dominated by Western manufacturers.

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Paulo Almada, Total Linhas Aereas’ controlling partner, revealed that discussions have been ongoing for several months. He is set to visit COMAC in October to discuss a potential order of up to four C919 aircraft.

The airline views this as a strategic opportunity, particularly since Embraer, a major Brazilian manufacturer of regional jets, cannot deliver new planes before 2026, while Airbus and Boeing’s slots are only available by 2028. The earlier delivery timeline from COMAC could give Total Linhas Aereas a competitive edge.

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COMAC’s C919 is a direct competitor to the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX, offering seating for up to 192 passengers, c919 vs a320 compared to the 146-seat capacity of Embraer’s E195-E2.

This difference makes the c919 more suitable for Total Linhas Aereas’ expansion plans. Although Embraer is based in Brazil, the negotiations with COMAC represent a pivotal moment in the country’s aviation industry.

Senator Rogerio Carvalho from Brazil’s ruling Workers Party highlighted that if the deal with COMAC progresses, Brazil would anticipate increased Chinese demand for Embraer jets in return. While Almada confirmed plans to initially acquire four C919s, comac c919 price details about potential purchases of COMAC’s smaller ARJ21 aircraft remain undisclosed.