9 Air

9 Air generally maintains a positive safety profile for a relatively young airline.

• Recent safety record and any notable incidents: The airline has reportedly "operated without a serious incident" to date. However, one incident involving a 9 Air Boeing 737-800 (flight AQ-1305) from Guangzhou to Yichang on March 1, 2022, reported "cargo smoke" while en route with 105 people on board. This was an incident that did not result in a crash or major accident.
• Regulatory certifications: 9 Air is certified as a 3-Star Low-Cost Airline by Skytrax, which assesses the quality of its airport and onboard products and staff service. As a Chinese airline, its primary regulatory oversight comes from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). There is no indication that 9 Air is on the EU Air Safety List, which bans or restricts airlines from operating within the European Union due to safety concerns. Specific FAA compliance certifications for 9 Air as a non-U.S. airline are not directly detailed in publicly available information, though it operates Boeing aircraft under international aviation standards.
• Fleet age and maintenance reputation: 9 Air operates a modern fleet primarily composed of Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The airline typically opts for newer aircraft, which generally require less expensive maintenance. While a specific average fleet age is not consistently stated across all sources, its operational history since 2015 with newer Boeing models suggests a relatively young fleet.
• Overall safety assessment based on available data: Based on the information available, 9 Air is considered a safe airline, particularly due to its modern fleet and a lack of serious accidents. The reported cargo smoke incident was handled without further escalation.
• Any safety awards or recognitions: No specific safety awards or recognitions for 9 Air were identified in the research.