China Southern's C919 fleet transports 460,000 passengers in first year of service

Photo: China Southern Airlines

Photo: China Southern Airlines

China Southern Airlines marked the first anniversary of operating the homegrown C919 aircraft on Friday, announcing that its five aircraft have carried more than 460,000 passengers over roughly 7,800 hours of safe operation.

The airline is set to receive its sixth C919 in September as it continues to expand both its fleet and route network. So far, China Southern has deployed the aircraft across 14 domestic destinations, including Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Chengdu. It currently operates regular flights on six routes, all originating from Guangzhou.

To date, the C919 has completed over 3,400 flights with an average cabin occupancy rate of 83%. During the peak summer travel period, the jet recorded a daily utilization rate of up to 8.3 hours, with all five aircraft in active service operating an average of 17 flights per day.

In September, China Southern plans to base one C919 in Changsha, opening new routes to Xi’an and Beijing Daxing.

Reporter: Zeng Xiangxing

Editor: Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He