HONG KONG: On 1st January, Hong Kong celebrated the arrival of the first scheduled commercial flight of China’s domestically developed and built Comac C919 passenger jet aircraft.
Operated by China Eastern Airlines, the C919 has commenced a daily round-trip route between Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. This marks a historic achievement for the home-grown narrow-body aircraft, adhering to international airworthiness standards, and signifies a new phase for Hong Kong as a global aviation hub.
“We hope that through this scheduled commercial flight, we can bring this historic innovation breakthrough in the Mainland’s production of civil aviation aircraft to our Hong Kong citizens, as well as to the international visitors coming to Hong Kong,” said Mable Chan, secretary for transport and logistics. “We do hope that through this inaugural flight, we can innovate and establish ourselves in civil aviation, so as to demonstrate our position under ‘one country, two systems’ and our advantage of facilitating the Mainland’s achievements to flourish with Hong Kong’s position.”
Chan highlighted three key areas where Hong Kong could showcase its strengths and advantages. Firstly, aircraft maintenance. HKIA has extensive experience and comprehensive ancillary facilities that can fully support the maintenance of China-made aircraft outside of the Mainland. Secondly, training. The Hong Kong International Aviation Academy, a prominent aviation training centre in Asia, is considering expanding its training programmes to cover areas related to the C919. Thirdly, aircraft leasing. With a preferential tax regime for aircraft leasing, coupled with Hong Kong’s well-established legal and financial systems, as well as being the world’s largest offshore renminbi business centre, the city has a competitive edge in aircraft leasing and can facilitate the expansion of China-made aircraft in the international market through finance leasing.
The C919 aircraft receives a water salute at Hong Kong International Airport and a welcome by Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan (first left)
Earlier, Chan expressed gratitude to the Civil Aviation Administration of China for its continued strong support of Hong Kong, noting that the C919 scheduled commercial flights would provide more Hong Kong residents “a chance to step on the C919 and experience the remarkable achievements of the nation’s aviation development.”
“As an international aviation hub located in the heart of Asia, with half of the world’s population within a five-hour flight, and with the newly opened three-runway system (3RS), Hong Kong will continue to capitalise on its unique advantage of connecting the nation and the world under ‘one country, two systems’,” Chan said.
The eagerly anticipated 3RS at HKIA was commissioned on November 28, 2024, ushering in a new era for Hong Kong’s aviation industry and its role in propelling related economic activities. With the 3RS in full operation, HKIA, already one of the world’s busiest air cargo hubs, is set to increase its handling capacity by about 50%, reaching approximately 120 million passengers and 10 million tonnes of cargo annually by 2035.
HKIA has evolved beyond a city airport into an ‘Airport City’, with new projects including the creation of an ecosystem for the arts industry, the development of AsiaWorld-Expo Phase 2, the construction of a yacht bay with ancillary facilities, and the opening of a food market for imported fresh food. Hong Kong aims to expand the scale of the Airport City by more than double, establishing a new, world-leading landmark.
