Lao Airlines has signed an agreement with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) to purchase two ARJ21-700s, making the airline the first export customer for the narrowbody jet.

The agreement was signed on 8 January in Vientiane in a ceremony attended by Laos Government officials, says Comac.

It failed to when the two aircraft will be delivered. Officials from Comac were unavailable for comment.

Lao operates a fleet of ATR 72s and Chinese-built MA60s.

It has domestic services and international services to Siem Reap, Bangkok and Kunming in China among others.

China's Kunpeng Airlines is likely to be the ARJ21 launch operator and is due to receive its first aircraft in 2010.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news