China's passenger liner makes international breakthrough with first overseas flight

China has launched the first international route operated by its domestically developed C919 passenger aircraft, marking a major milestone in Beijing’s efforts to establish the jet as a global competitor to Airbus and Boeing.

The flight, operated by China’s national carrier Air China under flight number CA723, departed Beijing Capital International Airport for Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on August 12, according to Chinese media reports.

The C919. manufacturer by China's state owner aircraft producer Comac, entered commercial service on May 28, 2023, when it completed its first domestic passenger flight. Its debut on an international route marks a new stage in the development of China’s homegrown large passenger aircraft industry.

The launch of the China-Mongolia route also demonstrates that the C919 has completed the necessary verification against bilateral international civil aviation operating requirements, allowing it to officially conduct regular international commercial passenger services.

Tian Linchuan, an assistant researcher at the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said the aircraft’s ability to operate scheduled cross-border services demonstrates that the C919 has reached a level comparable with international competitors in terms of safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness.

Speaking to media outlets, Tian was cited as explaining how the new route could help establish a replicable framework for international operations while providing valuable experience ahead of potential C919 routes to Southeast and Central Asia.

Air China currently operates 12 C919 aircraft. The model is also flown by China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines, making it an increasingly visible part of China's commercial aviation fleet.

As of August, C919 aircraft had operated on 57 routes connecting 25 cities and carried more than 7.5 million passenger trips, according to official figures.

The aircraft has also made appearances at major international air shows, including two editions of the Singapore Airshow and one in Dubai, as China seeks to raise the profile of its aviation industry overseas.

The C919’s international debut comes at a challenging time for the global aviation industry, which continues to face higher jet-fuel prices and rising operating costs. Airlines are also dealing with disruptions caused by the closure or rerouting of traditional air corridors amid military conflicts in regions including Ukraine, southern Russia, Iran and parts of the Arabian Gulf.

For China, the expansion of the C919 beyond the domestic market could therefore serve not only as a commercial milestone but also as an important test of whether its homegrown aircraft can establish a foothold in the highly competitive international passenger aviation market.

By Nazrin Sadigova