ZHUHAI, China, Nov 12 (Reuters) - COMAC said on Tuesday

that Air China was the first customer for the

Chinese planemaker's C929 widebody aircraft under development

that is designed to compete with twin-aisle models from Airbus

and Boeing ( BA ).

COMAC's deputy director of marketing, Liu Yan, made the

announcement at China's biggest air show in Zhuhai.

Liu did not disclose the number of aircraft that

Beijing-based Air China would purchase or planned delivery

dates.

The aircraft maker also announced that Hainan Airlines

had placed a firm order for 60 C919 narrowbody and

40 C909 regional jets. Colorful Guizhou Airlines signed a

purchase agreement for 30 C909 planes, it added, 20 of which are

firm and the remainder provisional.

COMAC has said the C929 will have 280 to 400 seats and a

range of 12,000 km (7,500 miles), which is in the same category

as Boeing's ( BA ) 787 Dreamliner.

The C929 was renamed in 2023 from the CR929 after Russia

left a China-Russia joint venture developing the aircraft.

A report in April from the C929's fuselage manufacturer said

it aimed to deliver the first fuselage section by September

2027.

COMAC deputy general manager Tong Yu in May told a group of

Hong Kong reporters in Shanghai that a C929 prototype will be

seen in the near future and estimated the jet could "soon" take

a test flight, according to Hong Kong newspaper Tai Kong Pao.