At 4:58 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Aug. 12, Air China Flight CA723 landed at New Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Mongolia, marking the first scheduled international commercial flight of China’s domestically developed C919 large passenger aircraft.
To commemorate the inaugural Beijing–Ulaanbaatar service operated by the C919, Mongolian authorities hosted a special welcome ceremony at the airport, including a traditional water cannon salute. The aircraft was welcomed by Mongolian Minister of Transport Delgersaikhan and Erdene-Ochir Turbayar, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority, along with other senior officials.
The C919 is China’s first independently designed and manufactured large passenger jet with fully independent intellectual property rights. It successfully completed its maiden commercial flight on May 28, 2023, marking a major milestone in the country’s civil aviation industry.
According to official figures, as of Aug. 10, C919 aircraft operated by Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines had flown on 57 routes, connected 25 cities, and safely carried more than 7.5 million passengers, underscoring the aircraft’s steadily expanding presence in China’s commercial aviation network.
Source: Akash, Alim and Shishir, China Media Group.