China's big three airlines take delivery of domestically made ARJ21 aircraft

China's three biggest state-owned airlines Sunday took delivery of their first ARJ21 aircraft, a short haul 90-seater aircraft made by state-run Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). COMAC said Sunday that Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern had received the aircraft, which has a 90-seat capacity, and would each take delivery of three ARJ21 aircraft this year. Last August, the three carriers announced on the same day deals to each purchase 35 ARJ21-700 regional jets from COMAC, with deliveries scheduled from 2020 through 2024. The ARJ21 entered commercial operations four years ago and is China's first domestically manufactured airliner. COMAC has two other passenger jet programmes in development - the C919 narrowbody aircraft programme which is currently undergoing flight testing, and the CR929 widebody programme in collaboration with Russia.<br/>