BEIJING— China’s domestically developed C919 passenger aircraft has completed its first international commercial flight, arriving in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Wednesday after operating a scheduled service for Air China (CA) from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK).
The aircraft departed Beijing at 3 p.m. local time and landed at Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN) at 4:58 p.m.
The arrival marked a major step for the C919, which entered commercial service in 2023 but had previously remained largely within China’s domestic network.
COMAC C919 Starts International Route
Air China has now placed the C919 on the Beijing-Ulaanbaatar route, operating flight CA723 outbound and CA724 on the return sector.
The service is scheduled as one round trip every day, giving the aircraft seven round trips per week on its first international commercial route.
The inaugural arrival received a water cannon salute at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, a traditional ceremonial welcome used to mark significant aviation occasions.
The route links China and Mongolia on a relatively short international sector, providing the C919 with its first regular overseas operating environment.
The aircraft’s international debut follows the announcement that Air China would introduce the C919 on the route from August 12.
The planned schedule originally called for the outbound flight to leave Beijing at 3 p.m. and arrive in Ulaanbaatar at 5:15 p.m., while the return service was scheduled to depart at 6:30 p.m.
C919 And C909 Operate Together
The Ulaanbaatar operation also creates a notable overseas presence for China’s two domestically developed passenger jet families.
A C909 aircraft already operates regular flights between Hohhot and Ulaanbaatar, meaning the C909 and C919 now serve the same airport outside China.
The development gives COMAC, the manufacturer behind both aircraft, an international operating milestone involving its two main commercial passenger aircraft.
The C909, formerly known as the ARJ21, entered commercial service earlier and has established operations in several overseas markets.
For the C919, however, the Mongolia route represents a much more significant step because it is the aircraft’s first scheduled international commercial service.
The aircraft has previously appeared at international airshows, including two appearances at the Singapore Airshow and one at the Dubai Airshow, but those events were not regular passenger operations.
Air China Expands C919 Fleet
Air China received its first C919 in August 2024, and its fleet has since grown to 12 aircraft. The airline said its C919 fleet has accumulated more than 12,000 safe flights and carried over 1.62 million passenger trips.
Across Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines, C919 aircraft have opened 58 routes connecting 26 cities and have carried more than 7.5 million passengers.
The aircraft entered commercial service on May 28, 2023, when China Eastern Airlines introduced it on domestic operations.
The international debut therefore marks another stage in the C919’s development from a China-focused narrowbody aircraft into a jet beginning to operate scheduled services beyond the country.
The Beijing-Ulaanbaatar route gives Air China an opportunity to build international operating experience with the aircraft while expanding the C919’s presence outside its home market.
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