A C919 aircraft operated by China Southern Airlines (CSA), flight CZ3521, lands in Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, September 21, 2024. /CFP
A C919 aircraft operated by China Southern Airlines (CSA) and carrying 132 passengers flew from Guangzhou to Hangzhou on Saturday morning, a brand new commercial route for the China-developed jetliner.
The "Hangzhou-Guangzhou Express" will initially fly from Monday to Thursday and on Saturdays. Beginning October 7, the frequency will increase to daily flights.
It is the second commercial route for China's domestically developed C919 aircraft involving Hangzhou Airport, following the "Beijing-Hangzhou route."
Participants at the maiden flight ceremony for China Southern Airlines' first C919 aircraft in Guangzhou City, south China's Guangdong Province, September 19, 2024. /CFP
Commercial operations, three major airlines
A new milestone was achieved in China's aviation industry on Thursday when CSA operated its inaugural commercial flight with the domestically-produced C919 passenger aircraft.
Taking off from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, flight CZ3539 carried a full load of passengers to Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport.
COMAC and Air China receive the first C919 aircraft at the Pudong base of the final assembly and manufacturing center of COMAC in Shanghai Municipality, east China, August 28, 2024. /CFP
China Southern Airlines is the latest major Chinese airline to introduce the C919 into its fleet, joining Air China and China Eastern Airlines (CEA). The airline has already signed an agreement to purchase 100 C919 aircraft from COMAC.
COMAC has now delivered nine C919 aircraft to leading Chinese airlines. CSA and Air China received their first C919 aircraft in Shanghai on August 28. CEA, the launch customer for the C919, has reported consistent operational performance with seven C919 aircraft since they entered service on May 28, 2023.