SHANGHAI- On Sunday, China Eastern Airlines (MU) welcomed its second domestically produced COMAC C919 passenger plane in Shanghai, following the aircraft’s first commercial flight on May 28.
The plane, registered as B-919C, took off from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) at 10:06 am and landed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) at 10:20 am. Subsequently marking its official entry into the China Eastern Airlines fleet.
China Eastern Airlines Acquires Second C919
The new C919 aircraft will initially operate flights between Shanghai and Chengdu. This is similar to the carrier’s first C919 aircraft.
However, China Eastern Airlines plans to expand the aircraft’s domestic flight routes in the near future.
As the world’s first operator of the C919, China Eastern Airlines received its initial model from the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) on December 9, 2022.
The airline achieved another milestone on May 28 this year by successfully completing the first round-trip flight between Beijing and Shanghai using the C919.
As of July 12, the first C919 in China Eastern’s fleet has completed 87 commercial flights. This includes 85 flights between Shanghai and Chengdu. The average passenger load factor stands at nearly 80 percent, with a total of 11,095 passengers carried, according to China Eastern.
China Eastern Airlines has been proactive in preparing its crew for C919 operations. The airline provided specific training for eight captains, 46 cabin crew members, and 16 aircraft maintenance personnel when the first C919 was introduced into service.
Currently, another 21 pilots are undergoing training. Further to ensure a skilled team is available to operate the expanding C919 fleet.
Positive Prospects for C919
In March 2021, Chinese Eastern and COMAC signed a purchase agreement for five C919 passenger planes.
Highlighting the aircraft’s growing popularity, COMAC revealed that the C919 had received a remarkable total of 1,061 orders from over 30 customers as of June.
With the addition of the second C919 to its fleet, China Eastern Airlines continues to make significant strides in enhancing its operations and contributing to the advancement of the domestic aviation industry.
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