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Cambodia plans major Boeing jet purchase after U.S. tariff reduction

Cambodia plans major Boeing jet purchase after U.S. tariff reduction
Policy
Webp cambodia
Air Cambodia | Official Website

Cambodia’s national airline, Air Cambodia, is in negotiations to purchase up to 20 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft following the country’s decision to remove tariffs on US goods. The move comes after an agreement between the Trump administration and Cambodia to reduce proposed tariffs from 36% to 19%. The deal also follows recent trade tensions involving Cambodia and Thailand.

Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol confirmed that Air Cambodia is finalizing talks for 10 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets with options for an additional 10. No details have been released regarding the cost or delivery timeline of the aircraft.

The order represents a notable win for Boeing over Chinese manufacturer COMAC, which had sought to supply its C919 model to Air Cambodia. While COMAC has made sales primarily within China and recently secured a C919 order from Lao Airlines, it was aiming for a significant foreign sale with this Cambodian deal.

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President Trump’s tariff policy was cited as influential in Cambodia’s decision-making process. Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol stated, "In order to improve the trade imbalance, they suggested we look into tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers, and also any products we can acquire from the US. We have zeroed out our tariffs."

Air Cambodia currently operates a fleet of six aircraft: three ATR-72s, two Airbus A320s, and one Airbus A321. The airline has not previously flown Boeing jets but does operate Airbus narrowbody models. Its predecessor, Royal Air Cambodge, did operate Boeing 737-200 and -400 models during the 1990s.

The addition of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 would mark a major expansion for Air Cambodia. This model offers about a 20% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to older planes and typically seats around 170 passengers in a two-class configuration. The acquisition could triple Air Cambodia's capacity and allow it to expand its regional network further.

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