China’s C919 airliner to debut at Dubai Airshow

China’s C919 jetliner will make its first appearance in the Middle East at the Dubai Airshow, scheduled from November 17 to 21. COMAC will exhibit two C919 aircraft alongside a C909 executive jet during the event, according to Chinese outlets.

The Dubai Airshow is expected to host over 1,500 exhibitors and attract more than 148,000 visitors. COMAC is using the platform to target international buyers after a period of increased order activity in China.

COMAC claims to have secured over 1,000 orders for the C919, from both domestic and international clients, although no publicly available order book exists.

The C919 has been in regular commercial service in China since 2023, with 18 aircraft delivered to Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, all of which are government-owned, like COMAC itself.

Despite this milestone, the Chinese planemaker faces production restrictions due to its dependence on Western components, particularly from the US, which has maintained a conflictive relationship with Beijing since Donald Trump took office.

On May 28, the C919 reached its second year of commercial operations, having completed more than 2 million passenger journeys since its entry into service.

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