C919 jet debuts on intl commercial route

Air China introduced China's domestically developed C919 large passenger aircraft on its daily Beijing-Ulan Bator route on Wednesday, marking the narrowbody jet's first international commercial flight.

Flight CA723 took off from Beijing Capital International Airport at around 3 pm and touched down in the Mongolian capital at 4:58 pm local time, according to Air China. The return flight, CA724, departed Ulan Bator at 7:04 pm local time, and arrived in Beijing at 8:49 pm, according to Umetrip, a Chinese aviation travel service platform.

The move takes the C919 beyond the domestic network, where it has accumulated most of its commercial experience since entering service in 2023. The aircraft's previous appearances overseas have been at air shows and for demonstration flights. In 2024, it toured Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia to test compatibility with airports, ground equipment and flight procedures, according to its manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China.

According to COMAC's official website, the C919 seats 158 to 192 passengers and has a range of 4,075 to 5,555 kilometers. It received its type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in September 2022 and made its first commercial flight with launch customer China Eastern Airlines in May 2023.

As of Monday, C919 aircraft operated by Air China, China Eastern and China Southern were serving 57 routes connecting 25 cities and had safely carried more than 7.5 million passengers, according to COMAC.

Hao Xin, an Air China C919 captain who transitioned to the fleet in 2024, earlier told China Daily that the aircraft had become part of the carrier's routine operations, supported by coordinated scheduling, maintenance and ground services.

"Safety margins and procedures don't change when demand is higher. We rely on the same rules every day," he said.

Lin Zhijie, a civil aviation industry analyst, said that C919s will "certainly fly to more countries".

"The point is not simply to fly farther, but to operate out of more demanding airports and in different markets, especially mature aviation markets. That is where the aircraft can build experience and demonstrate its capabilities," he said.

Lin said certification by major overseas regulators should be viewed as a door opener and an accelerator for wider market access, rather than the sole measure of the aircraft's international progress. Its overseas support network, including maintenance, spare parts, training and technical assistance, is still being developed, he added.

"As the fleet grows and more airlines operate it at home and abroad, the support system will become more complete," he said.