2023-05-28 13:59:25
A successful first. The first Chinese-designed airliner, the C919, made its maiden commercial flight on Sunday, a milestone for China’s airline industry. Beijing hopes that this aircraft can compete with the most popular foreign aircraft such as the Boeing 737 MAX and the Airbus A320. “In the future, most passengers will be able to choose to travel on large domestically designed aircraft,” state broadcaster CCTV described.
China Eastern Airlines flight MU9191 took off from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport on Sunday morning, according to images from the channel, which said 130 passengers were on board. He landed “smoothly” at Beijing International Airport about 40 minutes early around 12:30 p.m. local time (6:30 a.m. in France), according to CCTV. The flight “was extremely smooth, comfortable and memorable. I think I will remember it for a long time,” a passenger told the Chinese channel.
“Themed meals” for passengers
Before takeoff, state media showed dozens of passengers gathered at Shanghai airport to admire the sleek white aircraft. All passengers received red boarding passes and enjoyed a lavish “themed meal” on board to celebrate the event, CCTV said.
China, which is seeking to become self-sufficient in the technology sector, has invested heavily in the production of this first Chinese-designed airliner. The aircraft is built by the state-owned Comac, but many parts of the craft come from other countries.
The C919 will be mobilized from Monday for regular routes operated by China Eastern Airlines to connect Shanghai to Chengdu (south), reported CCTV. The first model of this aircraft, which can carry 164 passengers, was officially delivered to the Chinese airline in December 2022.
Airbus and Boeing want their share of the market
Zhang Yujin, deputy chief executive of Comac, told the government-backed news outlet The Paper in January that the company had registered more than 1,200 orders for its device. The state manufacturer planned to increase its annual production capacity to 150 models within five years, Zhang Yujin said at the time.
VIDEO. The Comac C919, the Chinese medium-haul aircraft that competes with Airbus and Boeing presented to the public
Asia, and China in particular, are priority objectives for the European Airbus and the American Boeing, which seek to take advantage of the growing demand for flights from a sizeable middle class. In April, Airbus announced that it would double its production capacity in China and signed an agreement to build a second assembly line in Tianjin (northeast) for the A320. Tianjin’s first assembly site opened in 2008 and produces four A320s per month. A rate that Airbus hopes to increase to six per month by the end of 2023.
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