COMAC Misses C919 Delivery Targets as Production Goals Scaled Back

China’s state-owned planemaker COMAC is falling behind on delivery targets for its C919 narrow-body jet, according to regulatory filings from the three Chinese airlines operating the model. China Eastern Airlines, Air China and China Southern had expected to receive 32 C919s in 2024, but as of September only five had been delivered, airline financial reports and data show.

Bloomberg reported Wednesday Sep. 24 that COMAC has quietly cut its own production target to 25 C919s this year, down sharply from a previously stated goal of 75. COMAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The manufacturer in January said it planned to deliver 30 C919s in 2024 and ramp up annual production capacity to 50 aircraft in 2025. By March, Chinese media reported the target had been raised to 75.

The C919 program is central to Beijing’s ambition to compete head-to-head with Western planemakers. Airbus and Boeing each produce dozens of single-aisle A320neo family and 737 MAX jets every month, far outpacing COMAC’s output. Aviation consultancy IBA recently described COMAC’s production targets as “ambitious” and predicted “more measured growth,” forecasting 18 C919 deliveries in 2025, 25 in 2026 and 45 in 2027.

COMAC Aircraft Production in 2025

Aircraft Type	Original Target	Revised Target	Notes
C919 (narrowbody)	75 units	25 units	Production slashed due to engine supply issues and geopolitical tensions

C909 (regional jet, formerly ARJ21)

~50 units

Steady growth

Deliveries continue, with expansion into Southeast Asia

C929 (widebody, in development)

—

Still in development; no production in 2025

COMAC had initially aimed to produce 75 C919 aircraft in 2025, but revised that down to just 25 due to delays in receiving CFM LEAP-1C engines and other Western components. Meanwhile, the C909 has seen modest but steady production growth, with new operators in Laos and Vietnam.

For comparison, here’s a snapshot of 2025 of Western aircraft production targets:

Airbus commercial jets: 820 aircraft
Boeing commercial jets: ~570 aircraft
Embraer commercial jets: 77–85

Trade tensions have compounded COMAC’s challenges. Between June and July, the United States temporarily halted exports of the CFM International LEAP engines used on the C919, exposing a key vulnerability of China’s jet-building program, which still relies on critical foreign components.

The C919 also lacks certifications from major Western aviation regulators, limiting its appeal to international carriers. So far, orders have largely come from Chinese airlines and two carriers in Brunei and Cambodia—both close allies of Beijing.

Despite these hurdles, COMAC has won headline-grabbing commitments. China Eastern, Air China and China Southern each ordered 100 C919s as part of Beijing’s drive to build a homegrown commercial aviation industry. Whether COMAC can accelerate production to meet those massive backlogs remains an open question.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, reuters.com