Photo: Courtesy of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China

China's first domestically made regional jetliner, the ARJ21, welcomed its millionth passenger on Chengdu Airlines flight EU6674, which landed at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Southwest China's Sichuan Province on Monday. ARJ21 commercial operations have now reached scale.

Since the ARJ21 began commercial services in June 2016, Chengdu Airlines has amassed 21 ARJ21s in its fleet, with 46 domestic and foreign routes opened linking 43 cities. It has built six pilot operation bases in cities including Chengdu, Quanzhou in East China's Fujian Province and Yinchuan in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, effectively driving the development of the local aviation economy.

Currently, domestic airlines including Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines operate a total of 33 ARJ21 planes, covering 56 domestic cities including major second and third-tier cities, providing more convenience for passengers.

To accelerate its pace of internationalization, Chengdu Airlines has established operation bases in Harbin in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and Weihai in East China's Shandong Province, and is planning to launch another in the Pan-Beibu Gulf area. It aims to enter Russia's Far East, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and part of South Asia in the future.

Developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, the ARJ21 is designed to hold 78-90 seats and has a flight range of 3,700 kilometers. It is capable of flying in alpine and plateau regions and can adapt to various airport conditions.