China News Service, March 1 (Reporter Yin Liqin) On March 1, China Eastern Airlines, as the world’s first launch user of the domestically produced large aircraft C919, formally signed the C919 large passenger aircraft purchase contract with COMAC in Shanghai. Introduced 5 in batches.
China Eastern Airlines will thus become the world's first airline to operate the C919 large passenger plane.
This is an "important step" taken by China Eastern Airlines in the first year of the "14th Five-Year Plan" in the introduction and commercial operation of domestically-made large aircraft following the successful establishment of the One, Two and Three Airlines to operate domestically-made ARJ21 aircraft. .
Liu Shaoyong, Chairman and Party Secretary of China Eastern Airlines Group Co., Ltd. delivered a speech.
Photo by Yin Liqin
As one of the large state-owned backbone airlines, China Eastern Airlines has rich experience and outstanding comprehensive advantages in the commercial operation of large fleets and multiple aircraft types.
As of the end of 2020, China Eastern Airlines' fleet has exceeded 750 aircraft, making it one of the youngest fleets among global airlines.
China Eastern has built a "two cities and four dual-core hubs" with Shanghai and Beijing as the mainstay. It has a route network to 1,036 destinations in 170 countries around the world, with an annual passenger traffic of more than 130 million passengers, ranking among the top ten in the world.
The C919 large passenger aircraft is a large jet passenger aircraft developed by my country with independent intellectual property rights. It completed its first flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on May 5, 2017.
Since the beginning of the development of the C919 large passenger aircraft, China Eastern has strived to become a booster for the improvement and optimization of domestically-made civil aircraft, an explorer of commercial operation models, and a pioneer in market-oriented operations.
In 2010, China Eastern Airlines and COMAC signed the start-up user agreement and purchase intention for the C919 large passenger aircraft; in November 2016, at the 11th China International Aerospace Expo, China Eastern Airlines and COMAC signed a cooperation framework agreement, becoming the C919 large-scale passenger aircraft. The world’s first passenger aircraft user; in August 2019, China Eastern Airlines and COMAC signed the ARJ21-700 Aircraft Sale and Purchase Agreement in Beijing; in February 2020, China Eastern Airlines was among the major state-owned air transport companies during the most severe period of the new crown epidemic , Took the lead in establishing the first airline specialized in operating domestically-made civil aircraft-One Two-Three Airlines, and the domestically-made ARJ21 aircraft was officially operated by China Eastern Airlines.
He Dongfeng, Chairman and Secretary of the Party Committee of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, delivered a speech.
Photo by Yin Liqin
China Eastern Airlines has deeply participated in the design and development process of the C919 large passenger aircraft, trained and provided the first C919 crew, accompanied the first flight of the C919, and provided opinions and suggestions from the perspective of user use and maintenance.
Relying on the industrial chain partnership and the geographical advantage of the same location in Shanghai, the two parties continue to promote cooperation and innovation in the industrial chain, and jointly explore new practices in the commercial operation of the C919 large passenger aircraft.
After the signing of the purchase contract, the two parties will dock as soon as possible and carry out various preparatory work before the aircraft is put into operation, including the negotiation and signing of the new aircraft type supplementary operation certification, professional training and customer support guarantee agreements.
The two parties will work together to intensify cooperation in the fields of aircraft import and export, aviation material maintenance, logistics and warehousing, new technology applications, aviation material support, maintenance support, and optimization of flying mechanisms to ensure the high-quality operation of the first batch of aircraft.
China Eastern Airlines and COMAC officially signed the purchase contract for the first batch of 5 C919 aircraft.
Photo by Yin Liqin
According to the preliminary arrangement of Eastern Airlines, after the introduction of the five aircraft, Shanghai will be used as the main base to encrypt the routes from Shanghai to Beijing Daxing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xiamen, Wuhan, and Qingdao to increase China Eastern’s market share in the above-mentioned markets. Bring the "new experience" of domestically made large aircraft to the majority of passengers.
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