Summary

  • C919 reached 500K passengers in 15 months, operated over 10K flight hours.
  • China Eastern Airlines presents model to commemorate milestone.
  • China Southern Airlines and Air China prepare to integrate C919 into fleets.

China’s self-developed commercial aircraft, the COMAC C919, has reached a significant milestone by carrying its 500,000th passenger. This achievement comes just over 15 months after the aircraft’s commercial debut, marking a new chapter in China’s aviation industry.

On September 1, 2024, passenger Lu became the 500,000th traveler on a C919 flight operated by China Eastern Airlines. The flight, MU9188, traveled from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA). To commemorate this milestone, China Eastern Airlines presented Mr. Lu with a model of their first C919 aircraft, signed by the captain and chief flight attendant.

Operational progress by China Eastern

Since its commercial launch on May 28, 2023, the C919 has accumulated over 10,000 flight hours and completed more than 3,700 commercial flights. China Eastern Airlines, the launch customer for the C919, currently operates seven of these aircraft on five domestic routes, connecting major cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Xi’an, and Guangzhou.

The airline has been gradually expanding its C919 fleet and route network. During the recent summer travel season in July and August 2024, China Eastern’s C919 fleet operated 1,145 commercial flights, carrying nearly 160,000 passengers with an average load factor of 86%.

china eastern c919 fleet

Photo: China Eastern

To support the aircraft’s operations, China Eastern has established maintenance capabilities at several airports, including Shanghai, Chengdu Tianfu, Xi’an Xianyang, Beijing Daxing, and Guangzhou Baiyun. The airline has also conducted training for ground staff at 22 airports to ensure smooth operations across its network.

Industry expansion and future outlook

While China Eastern has been the sole operator of the C919, the aircraft is now poised for broader adoption within China’s aviation sector. In a significant development, both China Southern Airlines and Air China received their first C919 aircraft last Wednesday. This marks these two major Chinese central government-owned airlines as the second and third customers of the C919, following China Eastern Airlines.

Both airlines have been preparing for this moment. China Southern’s first batch of eight captains completed their C919 type rating training at COMAC on July 10, while Air China’s first group of 10 pilots finished their training on July 29. These preparations indicate the airlines’ readiness to integrate the C919 into their fleets quickly.

The C919 program represents a significant step in China’s ambition to compete in the global commercial aircraft market. As more airlines integrate the C919 into their fleets, it is expected to play an increasingly important role in domestic air travel and potentially in international markets.

china eastern c919 2

Photo: China Eastern

However, the aircraft still faces challenges in gaining widespread international acceptance and certifications from aviation authorities outside China. Despite these hurdles, the milestone of carrying 500,000 passengers and the imminent expansion to other major Chinese airlines demonstrate the C919’s growing presence in China’s domestic aviation market.

As the C919 continues to accumulate operational experience and expand its user base, industry observers will be watching closely to see how it performs in terms of reliability, efficiency, and passenger satisfaction in the coming years. The success of this aircraft could potentially reshape the landscape of the commercial aviation industry in China and beyond.

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