China's home-made jetliner ARJ21 flew from Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province to Vladivostok in Russia on Saturday, completing its first international trip.
Developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC), the ARJ21 is China's first regional passenger jetliner, designed with 78 to 90 seats. It has a range of 3,700 km and is capable of flying in alpine and plateau regions.
"The ARJ21 aircraft is particularly suitable for the takeoff and landing conditions in western and northern China. The launch of the new international flight will showcase the operational capability of the aircraft on international flights," said Tang Jin, president of Chengdu Airlines.
"Harbin has been a tourism city that is renowned for its ice and snow culture. The launch of the new flight will help to reenergize China's northeastern region, shorten the flying time that connects China and Russia, and offer a more convenient way for trade and passenger transport between the two countries," he added.
The ARJ21 jetliner was first delivered to Chengdu Airlines in 2015. To date, the airline has used the airplane on more than 20 air routes and transported more than 450,000 passengers.