COMAC C919 Jet Hits One Million Passenger Milestone
The COMAC C919, China’s homegrown narrowbody jet, has reached a significant milestone by transporting its millionth passenger since its commercial debut in May 2023. This achievement was celebrated with a special ceremony on December 19, 2024, marking a significant achievement for the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC).
The C919 entered service with China Eastern Airlines and has quickly become a symbol of China’s growing prowess in the aerospace industry. The passenger who marked the millionth milestone, identified by People’s Daily Online as a passenger surnamed Lin, took a flight from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport to Xi’an Xianyang International Airport. She commemorated the event with a photograph alongside the flight crew and received a model of the C919 as a keepsake.
As of late December 2024, COMAC has delivered 14 C919 jets to three major Chinese airlines: China Eastern Airlines, Air China, and China Southern Airlines. These aircraft collectively operate across 15 routes and serve 10 cities throughout China. China Eastern, the launch operator of the C919, utilizes nine of these jets on eight different routes, contributing to over 850,000 of the total passenger trips.
The C919 serves on routes including Air China’s flights from Beijing to key cities like Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Wuhan, as well as China Southern’s routes from Guangzhou to Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Haikou. This extensive deployment underscores the aircraft’s growing role in domestic aviation within China.
In addition to the C919, COMAC continues to push its aviation products on the global market. In 2024 alone, COMAC received a record order of 330 units for its C919 and the smaller C909 regional jet, which was previously known as the ARJ21. Nearly 50 of these aircraft have already been delivered. Wei Yingbiao, Vice-President of COMAC, highlighted these figures during a conference held on the same day as the millionth passenger celebration.
Further demonstrating the operational advancement of the C919 fleet, China Eastern Airlines successfully completed the first full engine change for the aircraft in November 2024. This development is a significant indicator of the C919’s maturing maintenance capabilities and readiness for broader commercial deployment.
The C919 is designed to compete with industry mainstays such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. While it might not feature as many innovations as some newer models like the Airbus A220, it offers competitive pricing and utilizes CFM LEAP engines, which are comparable to those used in earlier versions of the A320 and B737-800. Currently available in a single size variant, the C919 accommodates between 158 and 192 passengers with a range of 2,200 to 3,000 nautical miles.
Looking forward, COMAC is not only expanding its market presence in China but also internationally, with a new sales office opened in Singapore and recent agreements, such as the launch order from Air China for its upcoming C929 long-haul widebody jet. This aircraft is poised to challenge the likes of the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777, albeit with a slightly smaller capacity of around 280 seats.
This milestone is more than just a numeric achievement; it represents a significant stride in China’s ambition to become a key player in the global aviation industry, demonstrating the capabilities and potential of Chinese-made aircraft on the world stage.
Related News : https://airguide.info/?s=COMAC