‘Very smooth’: passenger shares experience on C919’s first commercial international flight

Beijing Capital International Airport passenger Howard Deng was surprised to find that his routine business trip to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, would include a historic moment on Air China flight 723. This flight marked the first international service using the domestically produced C919 narrowbody jet from Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), a key part of Beijing's strategy to compete with global aviation giants Boeing and Airbus.

Upon landing at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, the aircraft was honored with a water-cannon salute. Deng, one of 111 passengers on the flight, described the experience as "very smooth," noting that it felt like flying on a Boeing 737 or an Airbus A320. The cabin layout, legroom, and lavatory size were all similar to those of other aircraft he had flown on.

While it was his first time aboard the C919, Deng had unknowingly been booked on the inaugural service, with some travelers even bringing cameras to document the event. Passengers were greeted upon arrival with a red carpet, traditional Mongolian clothing-clad attendants serving cheese samples, and an ethnic dance performance. Deng, who preferred not to share additional personal details, expressed hope that the C919 would be introduced on more routes to more destinations.

The C919 will also operate on the return flight, Air China flight 724, which had previously used a Boeing 737 Max 8. Comac has successfully built a domestic market for the aircraft, with the C919 now serving 58 routes connecting 26 cities on the domestic routes of China’s three largest airlines – Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines.

However, international expansion for the C919 is likely limited by regulatory and supply chain constraints, leaving the aircraft some distance from challenging the dominance of Boeing and Airbus. According to independent aviation analyst Li Hanming, the C919 cannot be operated by Western airlines or global aircraft leasing firms due to the lack of EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) or FAA (the US’ Federal Aviation Administration) certification.

Furthermore, Comac's low production volume, delivering only 15 C919s to customers in 2025, falls short of the target of 75 set at the beginning of the year. The South China Morning Post reported in January that Comac aims to produce 28 or more units this year, but even if met, this would still represent only a fraction of the numbers produced by Western rivals Boeing and Airbus.