China’s first jet-powered aircraft C909 makes inaugural Nanchang–Macau flight

China’s first domestically produced jet-powered aircraft, the C909, carried 85 passengers on its inaugural Nanchang–Macau flight yesterday, marking the launch of a new route operated by China Eastern Airlines and strengthening air connectivity between the two cities.

This route operates on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, providing three weekly round-trip flights between Macau and Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi.

Ahead of receiving its first batch of passengers traveling from Nanchang to Macau, China Eastern Airlines held an inaugural ceremony for the route at the airport.

Delivering a speech at the ceremony yesterday, Pun Wa Kin, president of the Civil Aviation Authority (AACM), highlighted that the newly launched Nanchang-Macau route not only establishes an aerial bridge between the two regions but also promotes exchanges and cooperation across various fields, including economy, culture, and tourism.

Notably, the inaugural flight utilized a new passenger aircraft independently developed by China. He emphasized, “This holds special significance,” as it demonstrates the nation’s “technological prowess, represents an honor for Macau, and serves as a shared source of pride for Macau residents.”

The inaugural flight from Nanchang to Macau touched down at approximately 11:45 a.m., with Macau International Airport (MIA) organizing a water cannon salute to honor and celebrate the first flight’s arrival.

Among the 85 passengers, one Chinese male tourist surnamed Zou described the launch of this route as “convenient,” noting that it “solves the issue of direct flights between Nanchang and Macau.” He emphasized that the new service has “built an aerial bridge,” making travel between the two cities “swift and efficient.” 

Zou pointed out that previously, traveling from Nanchang to Macau required connecting through a third city, which was “time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costly.”

Yesterday, Zou boarded the C909 behind him, a domestically produced large aircraft. During the flight, he experienced “remarkable stability and smoothness” from the C909 model. He stated, “This represents China’s technological advancement, breaking the monopoly of Boeing and Airbus in the aircraft manufacturing market,” which he described as a source of great pride.

Regarding the C909’s inaugural international regional flight, Zou remarked, “I found the C909 flight to be exceptionally smooth and stable. I feel immense pride.” 

As a commercial operation landing in Macau, captain Yin Aiming, who piloted the inaugural C909 flight, emphasized the significance of the aircraft’s classification. He stated, “Airbus belongs to the A series, Boeing represents the B series, while the C909, C919, and future C929 are part of the C series.”

He elaborated on the historical context, noting that “Boeing’s models date back to the 1950s and 1960s, and Airbus’s designs originated in the early 1970s.” In contrast, he highlighted that “the C909 is a product of the 2000s,” representing a significant evolution from its predecessors.

“Thus, each generation surpasses the last,” he explained, highlighting the advancements in design and technology. Key features of the C909 include “robust power, excellent performance, and exceptionally comfortable seat spacing within the cabin.”

The flight also welcomed a French passenger who learned about the inaugural service through social media platforms. He shared that he specifically traveled to Nanchang to board the flight to Macau, describing the overall experience as “positive.”

He also noted that with the launch of the Nanchang route, China Eastern Airlines’ mainland routes operating in Macau have expanded to 8,500.

As of August, China Eastern Airlines operated 229 international and regional routes with 3,052 flight frequencies, establishing direct connections from Macau to multiple mainland cities, including Shanghai, Beijing Daxing, Nanjing, Wuxi, Hefei, Taiyuan, and Nanchang.

With the launch of these routes, Macau International Airport now serves 22 mainland destinations, further enhancing regional connectivity.

By July, approximately 670,000 international passengers had arrived via the airport, representing a 5% year-on-year increase.