中国商用飞机有限责任公司生产的C919客机于8月12日下午3点左右从北京首都国际机场起飞，前往蒙古国乌兰巴托，标志着这款国产大型客机首次执行国际商业航班[2]。国航CA723航班完成了这一历史性飞行[2]，飞行时间预计超过两小时[1]。
作为中国自主研制、按照国际通行适航标准开发的喷气式干线客机[2]，C919被广泛视为对波音和空客长期垄断的挑战[1]。然而专家认为，国产飞机要在市场上有意义地挑战这两大航空巨头仍需数代时间[1]。C919的机型尺寸与波音737相似[1]，但其供应链高度依赖西方技术——超过一半的供应商来自美国[1]。
C919的商业化进展仍在探索阶段。截至8月10日，该机型已累计开通57条航线，通航25座城市，安全运送旅客超750万人次[2]。然而去年Comac交付仅15架C919，远低于75架的交付目标[1]。文莱航空GallopAir去年签署20亿美元协议购买30架飞机，其中包括15架C919[1]，这反映出该机型在国际市场仍面临的局限。同时，C919对美国零部件的依赖也使其容易受贸易政策影响——美国曾在贸易战期间暂停对Comac的某些产品出口[1]，尽管两国后来达成了贸易休战协议，但该协议将于11月到期[1]。
China's C919 passenger aircraft, positioned as a domestic challenge to Boeing and Airbus, is set to make its first international commercial flight.[1][2] Air China's CA723 flight departed Beijing Capital International Airport on August 12 at approximately 3 p.m., heading to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.[2] This marks the inaugural international service for the aircraft following its commercial debut on domestic routes.[1][2]
The C919, manufactured by state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), represents a significant milestone for China's aviation industry.[1][2] The twin-engine jetliner is comparable in size to Boeing's 737 model.[1] As of August 10, the aircraft had operated across 57 routes connecting 25 cities and safely transported more than 7.5 million passengers.[2] The C919 first completed its commercial flight in May 2023 and is China's first jetliner developed independently according to international airworthiness standards and with autonomous intellectual property rights.[2]
However, challenges remain for Comac's ambitions. Over half of the C919's suppliers are based in the United States,[1] and the company delivered only 15 aircraft last year—significantly below its target of 75 units.[1] Industry experts contend that several more generations of development will be needed before homegrown aircraft can meaningfully compete with Boeing and Airbus dominance.[1] Brunei-based GallopAir signed a $2 billion agreement last year to purchase 30 aircraft, including 15 C919s.[1]