China's first self-developed narrow-body aircraft C919 launched commercial flights between the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport by its first global customer, China Eastern Airlines on Tuesday, becoming the second regular flight for the homegrown jet operated after the one between Shanghai and Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Taking off at 3:40 pm on Tuesday from the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, flight MU5137 landed at Beijing Daxing International Airport at 5:27 pm. A return flight is scheduled to take off from Beijing Daxing International Airport at 7:15 pm, according to the Shanghai-based carrier.

Flights between Beijing and Shanghai are the busiest business routes in China. As the first airliner to operate flights between the two cities, China Eastern is currently operating 404 flights per week between the two cities.

China Eastern has so far received four C919 aircraft from the jet's manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC). The carrier is expected to receive the C919 aircraft from COMAC as scheduled in 2024

After a successful maiden commercial flight conducted between Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and the Beijing Capital International Airport on May 28, the C919 aircraft started to serve travelers between Shanghai and Chengdu on May 29, 2023

In addition to the first five C919 jets purchased in 2021, China Eastern inked a deal with COMAC, on Sept 28, 2023; to buy another 100 C919 aircraft, which is the largest single order in the history of the homegrown jet C919.

China's first self-developed narrow-body jet C919 jets have conducted 655 commercial flights and safely carried some 82,000 passengers as of Dec 31, 2023.

wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn