Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) said on Sunday its domestically developed C909 regional jet has carried more than 37 million passengers during its first decade of commercial service, marking a milestone for China’s efforts to build a competitive civil aircraft industry.
The C909, formerly known as the ARJ21, entered commercial service on June 28, 2016. Since then, COMAC has delivered 186 aircraft to more than 10 customers, with the fleet accounting for about 70 percent of China’s regional aircraft in operation, according to the Shanghai-based planemaker.
The aircraft now operates more than 860 routes linking over 180 cities and averages more than 500 flights a day, COMAC said.
The milestone highlights the gradual expansion of China’s first domestically developed regional passenger jet, which has become the country’s main aircraft for thinner regional routes that are uneconomical for larger narrowbody jets.
Regional aviation has become an important part of China’s strategy to improve air connectivity in western and border regions, where long travel distances and relatively low passenger volumes favor smaller aircraft.
COMAC said around 70 C909 aircraft are now deployed in the Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions and Heilongjiang province, where they operate more than 460 routes. The aircraft have completed about 200,000 flights and transported more than 10 million passengers across the three regions.
The company said the aircraft has also become increasingly integrated into China’s hub-and-spoke aviation network, transporting passengers from smaller regional airports to major hubs while allowing airlines to maintain flight frequency and reduce operating costs on lower-demand routes.
Beyond the domestic market, COMAC has expanded the C909 into Southeast Asia as China seeks to establish an international presence for its homegrown commercial aircraft.
The aircraft now serves 25 overseas routes connecting 28 cities in countries including Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam, carrying more than 1 million passengers outside China, COMAC said.
The overseas operations have helped demonstrate the aircraft’s performance on short runways and in hot and humid tropical conditions, while also expanding COMAC’s customer support network, the company said.
COMAC has also developed several specialized variants based on the C909 platform, including business jet, freighter, medical transport and emergency command versions, as it broadens the aircraft’s commercial applications.
The C909 forms part of China’s broader ambition to reduce reliance on foreign aircraft manufacturers. COMAC is also marketing the larger C919 narrowbody jet, which entered commercial service in 2023, while developing the widebody C929.
The C909 was renamed from the ARJ21 in 2024 as part of COMAC’s effort to unify the branding of its commercial aircraft family.
Tanks to chinadaily.com.cn
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