China Southern Airlines' first C919 jet arrives at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. It will soon begin commercial operation. [Photo by Zheng Caixiong/chinadaily.com.cn]

A new C919 jet landed at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on Thursday morning after a two-hour flight from Shanghai. The plane had been delivered to China Southern Airlines the previous night, marking a milestone in the carrier's fleet expansion.

The domestically developed single-aisle C919 plane is expected to begin commercial operation between the airport in Guangzhou and Shanghai's Hongqiao International Airport beginning Sept 19 after further testing, said Ma Xulun, Chairman of Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines.

"The operation of the C919 is a major and joyful event in the development history of China Southern Airlines, the largest air carrier of the country by fleet size, which plays an important role in optimizing the fleet structure and route network of airlines and promoting its high-quality development," Ma made his remarks at a ceremony to receive his company's first C919 in Guangzhou on Thursday.

Comparable to the narrow-body Airbus A320 and the Boeing B737 series, the C919 has 158 to 192 seats and a flying range of 4,075 kilometers to 5,555 km.

China Southern Airlines' first C919 jet arrives at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. It will soon begin commercial operation. [Photo by Zheng Caixiong/chinadaily.com.cn]

According to Ma, China Southern Airlines has signed purchase agreements with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, or COMAC, to purchase 100 C919 planes in April.

"The planes will be delivered for operation in batches between 2024 and 2031, and their flight destinations will mainly cover routes from Guangzhou to Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Xi'an in the following years," he said.

Cui Wei, captain of China Southern Airlines' first C919 jet, said it was his great honor to become one of the first pilots of the company's domestically produced large aircraft.

He said they will devote themselves to the work with a more focused and enthusiastic attitude and strive to improve their professional abilities.

China Southern Airlines' first C919 jet arrives at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. It will soon begin commercial operation. [Photo by Zheng Caixiong/chinadaily.com.cn]