At 10:15 on August 29, the first C919 aircraft (with registration B-919J) of China Southern Airlines (hereinafter referred to as “CSN”) landed smoothly at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, marking a complete success in its first transfer flight.
While featuring the CSN fleet's classic livery, CSN's first C919 aircraft prominently displays the large red "C919" lettering on its front fuselage. To ensure the success of the aircraft's first transfer flight, CSN selected three experienced captain instructors with a combined total flying time exceeding 35,000 hours.
"It is a great honor to become one of the first pilots of C919 aircraft for China Southern Airlines. We will devote ourselves to our work with greater focus and enthusiasm, striving to enhance our professional capabilities and carry forward the spirit of hard work and pragmatism of the older generation of pilots." said Cui Wei, one of the first pilots for CSN's C919.
CSN's first batch of operational C919 aircraft embodies the airline's principles of "affinity and refinement" and "green flight." The aircraft features a three-class layout, comprising Business Class, Sky Pearl Economy Class, and Economy Class, with a total of 164 seats. This includes 8 in business class, 18 in sky pearl economy class, and 138 in economy class. The cabin is spacious and comfortable, offering passengers a relaxed, convenient, and eco-friendly flight experience.
The seats of Business Class on C919 are arranged in a 2-2 configuration, with each seat measuring 21 inches in width and featuring a tilted zero-gravity cradle design. The seats of Sky Pearl Economy Class are arranged in a 3-3 configuration with a seat pitch of 33 inches, providing passengers with a more spacious and comfortable journey. The seats of Economy Class also follow a 3-3 arrangement, utilizing advanced materials and ergonomic designs to balance comfort with environmental sustainability. Each class comes equipped with charging ports, magazine pockets, and various practical features, enhancing passenger convenience. The cabin includes recessed overhead bins with a curved edge design, a ceiling height of 2.25 meters, and an aisle width of 48.26 centimeters, creating a visually open and spacious environment.
CSN has developed a comprehensive support system for the C919 aircraft and has crafted detailed operational plans. The first C919 is expected to complete its demonstration and verification flight, receive qualifications for commercial operation by mid-September, and will officially operate the Guangzhou to Shanghai (Hongqiao) route on September 19.
In April of this year, CSN signed a purchase agreement for 100 x C919 aircraft with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd., with plans for phased delivery from 2024 to 2031. To ensure safe and efficient operations, the C919s delivered this year will be stationed at CSN's main hub in Guangzhou, which offers the best support capabilities. These aircraft will serve routes from Guangzhou to major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Xi'an. As the fleet expands and operational experience grows, CSN plans to gradually deploy C919 aircraft across its subsidiaries.
