SHANGHAi: A C919 airliner of the China Eastern Airlines fleet made its first commercial chartered flight beyond the Chinese mainland on Saturday, providing a round-trip service between Shanghai and Hong Kong.
According to a report by China Global Television Network (CGTN), the C919 aircraft departed from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on Saturday morning, successfully arriving at Hong Kong International Airport. Later in the afternoon, following a send-off ceremony, it transported over 100 young students from Hong Kong on its return journey.
The C919 is China’s first self-developed trunk jetliner in accordance with international airworthiness standards and owns independent intellectual property rights. On Tuesday, the sixth C919 jetliner delivered worldwide joined the China Eastern Airlines fleet, indicating the acceleration of commercial operation of China’s homegrown large passenger aircraft.
This came one year after the first commercial flight of C919 was made. With its self-developed trunk jet
liner, China aims to secure a share of the global civil aviation market, which is currently dominated by Boeing and Airbus.
As of Monday, the five C919 jetliners of China Eastern Airlines had completed more than 2,100 flights, accumulating 6,000-plus flight hours and transporting nearly 300,000 passengers in the first-year commercial operation.
Source: Emirates News Agency