China's C909 marks 10 years of commercial service as regional aviation expands

China’s C909 marks 10 years of commercial service as regional aviation expands, highlighting the aircraft’s growth in domestic and overseas operations. COMAC said the homegrown jet, formerly known as ARJ21, made its first commercial flight on June 28, 2016, and has since carried more than 37 million passenger trips. The manufacturer reported 186 C909 deliveries to more than 10 customers, with the jet representing around 70% of China’s domestic regional jet fleet. It operates on more than 860 routes, serving over 180 cities with more than 500 flights per day. Recent milestones include the first C909 business jet entering commercial service on June 22 on a Shanghai–Beijing flight, and a Chengdu Airlines C909 landing in Xinjiang’s Hejing County on June 23 to open the Urumqi–Hejing–Kashgar route. The aircraft has also expanded internationally since entering service in Indonesia in April 2023, reaching Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam and serving 28 overseas cities.