26th December 2024 – (Shanghai) China Eastern Airlines is set to utilise the domestically produced C919 large aircraft to operate round-trip flights between Shanghai Hongqiao and Hong Kong starting from New Year’s Day next year.
China Eastern Airlines received its seventh C919 aircraft in July, marking the third delivery of a C919 plane to the carrier, which stands as the world’s pioneering C919 customer.
In commemoration of the first year of the C919’s commercial operation on 28th May, China Eastern Airlines welcomed its sixth C919 aircraft, the initial unit of the 100 C919 aircraft ordered by the airline.
With 3,031 flights completed and approximately 405,000 passenger trips facilitated by its C919 fleet, China Eastern Airlines stands as the foremost user of the domestically produced C919 aircraft globally. In a strategic move, China Eastern Airlines, in collaboration with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), inked an agreement on 28th September, 2023, to secure an additional order of 100 C919 large passenger planes.
Currently, the C919 aircraft is operational on four regular commercial routes connecting Shanghai to Chengdu, Beijing, Xi’an, and Guangzhou. The airline has hinted at expanding its route network with the introduction of new C919 aircraft.
Suparna Airlines, also known as Jinpeng Airlines, anticipates receiving its inaugural C919 aircraft in the final quarter of this year, positioning itself as the first private entity globally to operate the home-produced C919 aircraft.
Leading domestic carriers like Air China and China Southern Airlines have bolstered their fleets with orders for 200 C919 planes each, contributing to the global tally of over 1,000 C919 aircraft orders.
