"Chinese Self-Produced Passenger Aircraft Will Take at Least 5 Years to Fly in Europe"

European Authorities Unable to Confirm Certification
No Local Airlines Announced Plans for Introduction

There are prospects that China's first domestically produced medium-sized passenger aircraft, the C919, is still far from operating in Europe. There are currently no airlines planning to introduce it, and it is expected to take about five years to receive official approval.

According to major foreign media on the 15th, it is expected to take at least five years for the introduction of China's C919. Luc Tytgat, acting head of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), said in an interview with a foreign media outlet, "The C919 is such a new passenger aircraft that we are not yet sure if we can grant operating permission," adding, "COMAC, the manufacturer of the C919, first applied for operating approval in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, and reapplied last November, requesting that the related procedures be completed by 2026."

Approval from EASA is essential for the C919 to operate in Europe. China's plan to enter the global market has hit a snag amid a shortage of passenger aircraft supply and ongoing defects in American Boeing aircraft.

In January, China's aviation authority, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), announced that it would make this year the inaugural year of C919 internationalization. Chinese state media also presented the C919 as one of the examples of innovation supporting this year's economic growth target of around 5%.

However, certification has been delayed, and popularity has continued to wane. In the past, the Irish low-cost carrier (LCC) Ryanair showed interest in introducing the C919, but no European airline has yet announced plans to actually adopt it.

The C919, which began development in 2006, received certification for commercial flight from Chinese aviation authorities in September 2022. It was first deployed on domestic routes in China in May last year. Last month, it was showcased overseas for the first time at the Singapore Airshow. Since then, it has operated flights to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Indonesia as part of promotional activities.