Building a Sustainable Regional Aviation Network

With a passenger transport volume reaching 10 million, this milestone signals that the aircraft model is maturing and has successfully passed its market test. The aviation manufacturing industry inherently exhibits clear characteristics of economies of scale—meaning that once an aircraft model achieves commercial success, key metrics such as market share, adaptability, product stability, and reliability become critical indicators of its performance.

　　On November 24, the domestically produced regional jet ARJ21 welcomed its 10-millionth passenger.

　　With a passenger transport volume reaching 10 million, this milestone marks the aircraft model as increasingly mature and successfully passing its market test. The aviation manufacturing industry inherently exhibits clear characteristics of economies of scale—meaning that once an aircraft model achieves commercial success, key metrics such as market share, adaptability, product stability, and reliability become critical indicators of its performance. The ARJ21 has already established a robust production capacity, capable of churning out 30 to 50 aircraft annually, and is now steadily advancing toward large-scale operations and diversified series development.

　　10 million passenger trips also mark a new starting point. As ARJ21 works to build a sustainable domestic regional airline network, it is actively exploring ways to unlock the vast potential of the Chinese market while simultaneously paving the path to commercial success in international markets.

　　10 million people "voted" to lay the foundation for the market.

　　Since officially entering commercial operation in June 2016, the ARJ21 has embarked on a journey to explore commercial success.

　　Over the past seven years, the ARJ21 has delivered a total of 117 aircraft to airlines including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Chengdu Airlines, Tianjiao Airlines, Jiangxi Airlines, China Express Airlines, and Indonesia's TransNusa Airlines. The aircraft have enabled the launch of more than 400 domestic and international flight routes, connecting over 140 cities, with nearly 1,800 weekly flights operated.

　　A reporter learned from COMAC that the ARJ21 has become the mainstream aircraft in China's regional aviation market, capturing nearly 50% of the domestic regional airline market share and earning a strong reputation among customers.

　　Each passenger's journey is a "vote"—and ARJ21 has earned a solid market foundation thanks to the 10 million such "votes" it’s already received. One aviation enthusiast, who has flown on the ARJ21 across more than ten domestic cities, notes that only when the experience becomes "unremarkable"—no longer exciting but entirely routine—can you truly trust the aircraft’s consistent, rock-solid performance.

　　Zou Jianjun, a professor at the Civil Aviation Management Cadre College of China, believes that the ARJ21 having reached 10 million passenger trips marks the aircraft's growing maturity and represents a remarkable achievement in the commercial operation of domestically produced regional jets. Moving forward, to achieve scalable growth, it will be essential to continuously enhance the plane's cost-effectiveness and adaptability, ensuring it meets both the demands of the civil aviation market and the needs of local economic development.

　　Currently, the ARJ21 is actively expanding its market presence both domestically and internationally. In China, the ARJ21 has successfully withstood the extreme cold of -50°C, proving its exceptional performance in high-altitude airport operations and strong resistance to crosswinds as it ventures into the vast western regions. As a result, the aircraft has initially established an extensive route network spanning North China, Northeast China, East China, Northwest China, Southwest China, and Central-South China.

　　Overseas, the Southeast Asia operations have gotten off to a strong start, with two ARJ21 aircraft already deployed on domestic routes in Indonesia and international flights to Malaysia. Since August of this year, the overseas fleet has maintained a steady daily utilization rate of over 8 hours, and the aircraft’s performance has earned recognition from international customers.

　　Meanwhile, the ARJ21 series development has also achieved new milestones. On October 30, the first two brand-new ARJ21 aircraft departed from Guangzhou, marking the start of a fresh journey. Unlike previously delivered planes, these two ARJ21s are entirely new "passenger-to-freighter" conversions, meaning the ARJ21 is now capable not only of operating commercial passenger flights but also of serving as an airborne logistics "postman."

　　In addition to the ARJ21 freighters already delivered, the ARJ21 business jets and medical aircraft have received airworthiness approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Meanwhile, derivative models such as emergency rescue command planes and firefighting aircraft are steadily advancing.

　　From scalable operations to an industrialized ecosystem

　　Recently, an ARJ21 aircraft successfully completed a demonstration flight from Kuche Gouchi Airport to Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, marking the end of a month-long tour that covered all 25 transport airports across Xinjiang. This milestone paves the way for the future operation of domestically produced commercial aircraft in the region.

　　During the demonstration flights, the ARJ21 achieved an average daily utilization rate of 9.2 hours, accumulating a total of 276 flight hours. Notably, the aircraft completed nine flights to Tashkurgan Hongqilafu Airport, a high-altitude airport located within Xinjiang, fully demonstrating its adaptability to the airport’s procedures and high-plateau operations.

　　"Xinjiang is a vast and promising market, and regional airlines play an indispensable role as vital air corridors, effectively supporting local economic development while making travel more convenient for people," said He Qinghe, head of the Marketing Committee at Xinjiang Airport Group.

　　The demonstration flight around Xinjiang thoroughly validated the ARJ21's adaptability to Xinjiang's challenging terrain—including the Tianshan Mountains—as well as its resilience against complex weather conditions like wind, sandstorms, and dust. It also highlighted the feasibility of promoting "regional-to-regional" flights within Xinjiang, boosting the utilization rates of the region's numerous regional airports and enhancing overall connectivity. Ultimately, the flight showcased the promising commercial potential of operating the ARJ21 in Xinjiang.

　　On September 26, COMAC signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government to boost ARJ21 aircraft operations—both in terms of increasing flights within Xinjiang and expanding their presence across the region. This collaboration aims to accelerate the implementation of the Basic Air Service Program in Xinjiang, gradually connecting the region and eventually extending into Central Asia. Ultimately, it will support Urumqi's vision to become an international aviation hub and help Xinjiang establish itself as a key gateway for China's westward opening strategy.

　　Additionally, in regions such as Inner Mongolia, Yunnan, and Guizhou, the ARJ21 is actively enhancing the aircraft's market adaptability and identifying development paths that align with local economic growth.

　　Against the backdrop of China's Civil Aviation Administration vigorously promoting the "Direct-to-Branch Connectivity, Full-Network Integration" service model, airlines are leveraging the unique characteristics of their target markets to explore a range of "direct-branch" and "branch-to-branch" operational approaches, including through-flight services, secondary hubs, and air express routes. Meanwhile, the ARJ21 still holds significant potential for market expansion.

　　As the ARJ21’s flight map continues to expand, the industry landscape is also accelerating its growth, creating a powerful driving force for the sustainable development of domestically produced commercial aircraft.

　　Industrial deployment and market expansion go hand in hand. Regions such as Shanghai, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang are supporting the market introduction and industrialization of the ARJ21, fostering a mutually beneficial alignment with aircraft market operations. Enhanced support capabilities and reduced operational costs will further strengthen the aircraft's ability to penetrate and grow in the market.

　　The ARJ21 has already established an operational fleet in China that combines state-owned and privately owned airlines, integrating both mainline and regional carriers. This has fostered enhanced communication and collaboration among ARJ21 operators, laying the groundwork for a future dense network of routes and boosting the efficiency of the "mainline-plus-regional" model.

　　In addition, civil aviation entities such as airports, air traffic control, maintenance services, and finance have joined forces to support domestically produced commercial aircraft, fostering an operational ecosystem that drives the healthy growth of the industry.

　　"Fly Out" to Expand into International Market Opportunities

　　In April of this year, the ARJ21 completed its inaugural overseas flight, opening the door to the international market. Currently, two ARJ21 aircraft have been delivered to Indonesia's TransNusa Airlines, which has since launched two international routes—Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru in Malaysia—operating primarily from its Indonesian base.

　　As of October 24, the ARJ21 has accumulated over 2,100 hours of commercial operation overseas, carrying more than 70,000 passengers. Its average daily utilization rate stands at 7.5 hours, with an even higher average of 8.9 hours per day over the past month.

　　COMAC stated that, to ensure the successful overseas operations of the ARJ21, the company has dispatched its core technical team to provide hands-on training and guidance on the front lines. This support has enabled Indonesia's TransNusa Airlines to proactively explore cost-effective operational strategies, including increasing cruising altitude, optimizing alternate landing airport selection, single-engine taxiing, and conducting fuel transfers at remote locations.

　　During this period, the ARJ21 achieved enhanced operational capabilities in overseas markets, fully demonstrating the aircraft's comprehensive strength and market adaptability.

　　The ARJ21 has successfully completed verification flights on short, narrow runways in Indonesia, making it suitable for all airports in the country that currently accommodate jet-powered passenger aircraft. During interviews, reporters learned that Indonesia boasts a large number of small and medium-sized airports, many of which feature short, narrow runways. Among the 134 airports served by commuter and regional airlines, 49% have runway lengths shorter than 2,000 meters, while 74% measure less than 45 meters in width. With the ARJ21 now proven capable of operating on these challenging airstrips, the aircraft is well-positioned to tap into Indonesia’s extensive network of underserved airports—and this achievement lays a solid foundation for the ARJ21 to expand further into Southeast Asia’s lucrative aviation market.

　　"The Indonesian market is perfectly suited for regional aircraft, especially for travel between islands, where regional aviation plays an irreplaceable role. The ARJ21 has already achieved high daily utilization rates and passenger load factors in Indonesia," said Yang Jun, Party Secretary and Chairman of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) Customer Service Company.

　　The operation of the ARJ21 in Indonesia, its first overseas market, has also drawn attention from neighboring countries, creating favorable conditions for further expansion into the Southeast Asian market.