China’s C919 passenger jet to start commercial operation ‘as soon as possible’ in first half of 2023
- China’s first home-grown passenger jet is expected to be delivered to China Eastern Airlines by the end this year after receiving a ‘type certificate’ in September
- The narrow-body C919 single-aisle passenger jet is then expected to be put into commercial operation in the first half of 2023
China’s first home-grown passenger jet is expected to be delivered by the end this year before being put into commercial operation “as soon as possible” in the first half of 2023, according to China Eastern Airlines, despite a slow recovery in the coronavirus-hit domestic aviation market.
Chinese passenger jet manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has previously said it planned to deliver the first C919 to the Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines airline by the end of this year after it ordered four in May at a cost of US$99 million each.
The remaining orders will be delivered in the next year or two based on the supplier’s production and delivery plan
“The first C919 is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and put into commercial operation as soon as possible in the first half of next year after meeting the requirements of the CAAC,” Wang Jian, China Eastern Airlines’ board secretary, said in a call with investors about the company’s third quarter results on Monday.
“The remaining orders will be delivered in the next year or two based on the supplier’s production and delivery plan.”
Airlines, though, are still reeling from heavy losses from the disruptions caused by the coronavirus, with China Eastern Airlines reporting a net loss of 28.12 billion yuan (US$4 billion) in the third quarter, down by 244 per cent from a net loss of 8.16 billion yuan in the same quarter last year.
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