First C919 jet to be delivered to China Eastern Airlines

SHANGHAI, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China Eastern Airlines and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) signed a purchase contract for five planes on Monday, marking the official entry into market operation for China's indigenously-developed C919 large passenger aircraft.

The new planes will be used on routes from Shanghai to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu, according to the airline company.

China Eastern Airlines has been participating deeply in the development of the C919 since a very early stage. In 2016, China Eastern Airlines signed a cooperation framework agreement with COMAC, becoming the world's first user of the C919.

The C919, China's first self-developed trunk jetliner, has 158-174 seats and a range of 4,075-5,555 km. The plane conducted its successful maiden flight in 2017.