China to put into commercial operation of its first large passenger airliner

BEIJING, China: China will put into commercial operation its first large passenger airliner, in a bid to challenge Western plane makers.

The C 919 will be operating between Shanghai and Beijing for the first time this week.

On the same day it will fly a return flight to Shanghai.

The C 919's flight will contend with the dominance of both Boeing and Airbus in the commercial airline industry.

The C 919, which is produced by Commercial Aviation Corp of China, is aimed at rivaling the Airbus A 320 neo and Boeing 737 MAX.

The C 919 is a test flight that has been flown many times without passengers, according to Chinese officials.

China Eastern has meanwhile ordered five C 919s.

The C 919 has been a test flight since December, with China Eastern Airlines based in Shanghai. It has flown about 100 hours during this period, officials said.

The C 919 has 164 seats, divided into business and economy classes.

While the C 919 is built in China, it necessitates Western components, such as engines.