China’s C919 airliner could spread wings to parts of Asia next year

China’s thrust to raise the international profile of its domestically developed narrowbody airliner will shift into a higher gear next year, with the C919, already plying some of the busiest air routes at home, set to be more easily spotted in some parts of Asia, analysts predict.

The C919 will return to Hong Kong, one of the region’s international gateway hubs, on the first day of the new year, China Eastern Airlines has confirmed. It will launch a daily return flight between Shanghai and Hong Kong as the home-grown model’s first cross-border route.

The carrier is now taking delivery of its 10th C919 and is ramping up preparations to deploy the new plane on the Hong Kong route, according to a source at Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (Comac), the C919’s manufacturer.

“The new jet being prepped will sport a new livery and its first flight to Hong Kong on January 1 will be kicked off at an event at Shanghai’s Hongqiao airport,” said the source, who declined to be named.

Observers say Hong Kong is a natural choice as the C919 seeks to raise its visibility beyond mainland skies and the jet could set a further course for regions that do not require aircraft certification by Western regulators as a prerequisite.

“Airlines need approval to fly a specific aircraft type to an overseas airport,” said Mayur Patel, the Asia head at consultancy OAG, which is based in Britain and Singapore. “For C919 operators, they will require approval from a particular country. Given the C919’s range, regional airports in Southeast Asia would be the ideal choice.

  

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