China Southern Airlines' first C919 plane officially started commercial operation on Thursday. [Photo by Zheng Caixiong/chinadaily.com.cn]
A new C919 plane fully loaded with passengers took off from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in the Guangdong provincial capital at 12:11 on Thursday, marking the official start of commercial operation of the domestically developed single-aisle jet.
Flight CZ3539 landed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 2:03 pm after a flight lasting around two hours, while the same aircraft, flight CZ3540, departed from Shanghai at 3:50 pm and arrived back in Guangzhou at 6:15 pm on the same day.
China Southern Airlines, one of China's three major airlines, organized a ceremony for the maiden flight of its first C919 plane on Thursday morning.
Han Wensheng, president of China Southern Air Holding Co Ltd, said the company would spare no effort to fully operate the first flight route of C919 from Guangzhou to Shanghai, providing safe, high-quality, and convenient air transportation services for passengers.
"We hope more passengers will choose to experience the charm of the domestically produced large aircraft and China Southern Airlines will continue to strengthen the operational support system for the C919 aircraft to lay a solid foundation for scale operations," said Han.
China Southern Airlines' first C919 plane officially started commercial operation on Thursday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
China Southern Airlines will combine the characteristics of the aircraft model and regional market development needs to improve the route network, allowing more people to enjoy flights of the domestically produced large aircraft in the months to come, he added.
Ma Nan, captain of the plane, said the C919 aircraft offers excellent flight control quality, providing a fantastic control experience.
"The cockpit is spacious and comfortable, equipped with advanced instruments and user-friendly interfaces that ensure smooth takeoff and landing operations, making this aircraft easy to control and operate," said Ma.
The airline has signed purchase agreements with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd to buy 100 C919 planes in April.
China Southern Airlines' first C919 plane officially started commercial operation on Thursday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
According to the airline, the planes will be delivered for operation in batches between 2024 and 2031, and in the following years, their flights will mainly cover routes from Guangzhou to Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Xi'an.
