Feature: Hong Kong students arrive in Shanghai on C919's maiden cross-border commercial charter flight

HONG KONG/SHANGHAI, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The month of June unfolded with an exhilarating journey for a team of Hong Kong students, who just got off from C919's maiden cross-border commercial charter flight and was ready to experience first-hand the eastern Chinese mainland metropolis of Shanghai.

Flying from the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport to the Hong Kong International Airport Saturday morning, a C919 jetliner of the China Eastern Airlines fleet carried more than 100 Hong Kong young talents on a round-trip service and returned on the same day.

A ceremony was held at the Hong Kong International Airport to mark the flight before its return flight departure and around two hours later, C919 landed in Shanghai and received a ceremonial water salute on its arrival.

In mid-December 2023, China's homegrown large jetliner C919 made its first visit to Hong Kong with ARJ21, another domestic aircraft for a static display at the Hong Kong International Airport. The C919 also performed a fly-past over the scenic Victoria Harbor.

"The ceremony is iconic!" Eric Chan, Chief Secretary for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, thumbed up to C919's two flights to Hong Kong, respectively in December last year and this one on Saturday, saying that they helped deepened Hong Kong youth's understanding of the development of national aviation and enhanced their sense of identity and national pride.

"Today, the C919 carries Hong Kong youth to Shanghai to experience mainland working life and learn about national conditions and national development. I believe this experience will be unforgettable and rewarding for all students," Chan said.

A sophomore surnamed Yu at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology said that she is looking forward to experiencing the construction and development of Shanghai and truly understanding the history and future of the motherland through visits to Shanghai's tourist attractions and enterprises.

The trip to Shanghai on a C919, China's homegrown large passenger plane, allowed her to feel more deeply the leap in China's aviation sector as well as its growing sci-tech strength.

The Hong Kong interns are reported to be in Shanghai for internship, visits and exchange activities. Shanghai has arranged a variety of weekend events, including visiting such meaningful spots as the East China Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Base, Yangshan Deep Water Port, the Grand Halls, the WorldSkills Museum, to broaden their horizons.

There will also be a highly-anticipated mentor program, in which 50 representatives of entrepreneurs from Shanghai and Hong Kong will offer hands-on skills and guidance to the students.

Since C919's successful first commercial passenger flight on May 28, 2023, six aircraft have been delivered to China Eastern Airlines, the jetliner's first customer. The C919 fleet is expected to reach 10 by the end of 2024.

The C919 is a large passenger aircraft designed, manufactured and certified by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China in strict accordance with international airworthiness standards, carrying 158 to 192 passengers, with a range of 4,075 to 5,555 km, capable of performing medium-range route tasks.

At present, the C919 has more than 1,000 global orders.