China’s C919 begins regular international commercial service with Beijing–Ulaanbaatar flights

China’s domestically developed C919 passenger jet has entered regular international commercial service, beginning flights from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar.

Inaugural international run

Air China flight CA723 departed Beijing Capital International Airport at 3pm local time on Wednesday for a roughly two-hour trip to Mongolia’s capital.

Ceremonial arrival and fleet activity

On arrival in Ulaanbaatar, the aircraft was expected to receive a water cannon salute, a traditional civil aviation honour marking the milestone.

Operational history so far

Official data showed that as of August 10 the C919 had operated on 57 routes linking 25 cities and had carried more than 7.5 million passenger trips.

International exposure

The type has also been displayed at major airshows, including two editions of the Singapore Airshow and one edition in Dubai, according to the same report.

What this means

The start of scheduled international service marks a new phase for the C919 programme as it moves beyond domestic routes and airshow appearances to regular cross-border commercial operations.