(CNN) –I've flown over a million miles on dozens of airlines around the world, and I've lost count of the number of times I've boarded an Air China flight for a short trip from Beijing to Shanghai.
During the week, airlines schedule more than 60 daily flights between the capital and the country's financial center – round trip – mostly using their biggest jets, from the iconic Boeing 747 to the latest Airbus A350.
Air China, which has nearly 1,000 wide-body planes, used a narrow-body plane for my Thursday morning flight. But it's not just any short-body plane: it's the flag carrier's first, and so far only, C919 passenger plane.
The C919 is the first mainline aircraft produced by Shanghai-based state-owned Commercial Aviation Corporation (COMAC) in China. After years of development and long delays, the twin-engine made its first commercial flight with flag carrier China Eastern Airlines in May 2023.
The C919, long considered a game-changer for global business aviation, is COMAC's answer to the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, two of the world's best-selling aircraft.
Despite registering more than 1,000 orders, the C919 has been plagued by skeptics in the Airbus duopoly who question its “Chineseness” (with key parts such as engines and flight control systems imported from the US and Europe) and its commercial viability.
However, for an aviation enthusiast like me, none of the controversies dampened my interest in discovering an entirely new type of aircraft and going through this still-rare passenger experience, as there are only a handful of C919s in the air from mainland China. The only region certified to fly till date.
I arrived at the gate of the sprawling Beijing International Airport an hour before departure to see the C919 in person for the first time. From a distance, it could easily be mistaken for an A320 due to its more rounded nose and curved fuselage (compared to the B737). A more discerning eye might notice the C919's cockpit windows and wingtips.
My first impression upon entering the month-old C919 was that it resembled an A320 with the faint smell of a new aircraft. Of the three major state-owned companies operating this type of aircraft, Air China opted for the most spacious configuration with 158 seats (out of a maximum of 192): eight in first class and 150 in economy class.
In this era of “earned class” for coach passengers, any extra legroom counts. I pre-paid for a seat in the emergency exit row and was satisfied with the legroom in both exit rows (19 and 20), which offer more space than domestic first class. As I am a 180 cm tall person, I can stretch my legs without any problem and my feet do not touch the seat in front of me.
Other features of the interior seem more conventional: there are individual air vents to customize the climate, and economy class passengers not in exit rows have a fold-down holder (for smartphones and tablets) just above the tray.
Economy class seats are slimmer in a typical 3×3 layout, popular with airlines increasing the number of rows in the main cabin.
But any discomfort on this flight was mitigated by free pillows; I put one behind me for extra padding. Under the seats, every three passengers share two power outlets with USB-A and USB-C connectors.
For a passenger flight covering up to 5,555 kilometers, Air China's C919 relies on passengers providing their own entertainment. There were no personal screens or Wi-Fi on board (the programming displayed on the folding screens seemed unattractive), although there was space behind the seat for literature (along with in-flight magazines) and bags for personal items.
I was pleased to hear the flight attendant mention the type of flight in her pre-departure remarks. “Today you are going to fly with Air China's C919, the first major aircraft independently developed by China,” he said as the plane taxied to the runway.
Air China offers hot meals in Economy Class during mealtimes, even on short-haul flights (Today's flight time: 1 hour 40 minutes). There was bottled water in each seatback bag before boarding and my omelette was delicious with yogurt and a chocolate bar.
Noticed one of the two economy class toilets at the back of the cabin. It's bright (this aircraft was clean and well-stocked), has a coat rack, and is less conspicuous than many later versions of the A320 or B737.
Emerging from the cloud tops of Shanghai's tallest skyscrapers, our plane began its descent towards Hongqiao International Airport (SHA).
Sitting in the window seat next to the engine, I was reminded of one of the two main complaints I'd read about the C919 online: engine noise. Everyone has different tolerance levels, but a narrow body Boeing or Airbus doesn't find the sound any louder than a typical airplane.
Lack of space in the overhead bins is another complaint. While the C919 isn't going to win the overhead bin space contest, everyone on this entire plane seemed to be able to fit their wheeled carry-on luggage with no problem.
After landing safely in Shanghai 40 minutes earlier, there was no applause or cheering (not a Chinese tradition on airplanes anyway). Upon disembarking, I noticed a few other passengers – perhaps informed of the Chinese-made aircraft – snapping photos of the C919.
Apart from a few bumps along the way, the journey was uneventful. Most people—including frequent flyers like myself—don't feel much difference flying this C919 compared to previous flights on the ubiquitous A320 or B737. Based on my expectations as a passenger, the C919 gets a solid score in terms of safety and comfort. Do so (recently proven after several incidents with Boeing aircraft).
COMAC certainly has a lot riding on the C919's success as the Chinese government seeks to modernize key industries and reduce dependence on Western technology. But geopolitics and national pride aside, for a flight program to take off, COMAC has noted that it needs to prove the C919's reliability to potential operators in Southeast Asia, Africa and other emerging markets in the absence of fast-track certification by the United States and European regulators.
If more passengers continue to have a “significantly bland” experience with the C919, COMAC could make its aircraft a workhorse for Chinese and other airlines.
