China’s C919 passenger jet spreads its wings with delivery milestone to 3 carriers

First deliveries of China’s home-grown C919 narrowbody passenger jet to Air China and China Southern Airlines are set to be made on Wednesday

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China Eastern Airlines has inducted seven C919 passenger jets into service. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 1:24pm, 27 Aug 2024

China’s home-grown C919 passenger jet is set to mark a production milestone, with its manufacturer on the verge of delivering the narrowbody aircraft to three major carriers for the first time in the same month in August.

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) is poised to make a first delivery of the Chinese alternative to the bestselling narrowbody jets by Airbus and Boeing to Air China and China Southern Airlines on Wednesday, on top of having continued to fill orders from China Eastern Airlines.

Air China and China Southern agreed to each buy 100 of the jet in April to be delivered between 2024 and 2031, with the Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines having previously been the sole customer for the C919.

“The speed with which Comac is delivering the C919 to three customers in one month reflects growing capabilities to tackle production bottlenecks and coordinate with regulators and multiple suppliers and buyers for a quick turnaround between order and delivery,” said Li Hanming, an US-based aviation analyst.

China’s state-owned manufacturer is seeking a foothold in the world’s second-largest aviation market by size at a time cracks appear in the dominance of Western planemakers.