At 10:28 a.m. on June 20, China Southern Airlines flight CZ3396 (the domestically manufactured C919 aircraft) successfully landed at Zhengzhou airport from Guangzhou with 154 passengers on board. This marked the first commercial flight of the C919 to Zhengzhou, making the airport a new destination for China's homegrown large aircraft. It also signaled the official launch of regular commercial operations of the C919 on China Southern's "Zhengzhou–Guangzhou Express Line".
"Today, I finally got to board the C919, the aircraft I've been looking forward to for so long. The takeoff, cruising, and landing were all very smooth. I felt an overwhelming sense of pride," said Ms. Wang, a passenger who disembarked in Zhengzhou. After landing, she specially invited her travel companions to take photos together, with the bold red "C919" logo on the aircraft's body.
The "Zhengzhou-Guangzhou Express Line" operates an average of 10 round-trip flights per day, providing a convenient air corridor between Henan and the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. With the addition of the domestically manufactured C919, China Southern Airlines now deploys four aircraft models on this route: C919, A350, B787, and B737. Passengers traveling from Zhengzhou can enjoy different in-flight experiences and appreciate the unique charm of China's homegrown large aircraft.
The C919 is China's first domestically developed, medium-range jet airliner designed in accordance with internationally recognized airworthiness standards and equipped with independent intellectual property rights. It completed its maiden commercial flight in May 2023. Earlier this month, a China Southern Airlines C919 aircraft successfully landed at Nanyang airport, marking its first commercial operation at a regional airport in China. With Zhengzhou now joining the C919 route network, the aircraft currently serves more than 16 cities across the country, operating over 20 commercial routes. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Guo Beichen Translator: Yang Jiaxin Proofreader: Zhang Junping and Zhao Hanqing)
