C919, China's first domestically-developed single-aisle jetliner

China Eastern Airlines will receive the first C919, China's first domestically-developed narrow-body jetliner, in mid-December as the plane's launch operator, the carrier said on Tuesday.

The Shanghai-based airline will ensure safe and smooth commercial operation of the aircraft, hoping to create a brand and economic efficiency, said Li Yangmin, general manager of China Eastern.

The airline has fully participated in the design and development of the C919 in full cooperation with its developer, the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, Li told a meeting of the company.

China Eastern has purchased the first batch of five C919s, thus becoming the jet's first operator.

China Eastern has said that the carrier and its subsidiary airlines plan to deploy the C919s on their most popular domestic routes from Shanghai: to Beijing's Daxing airport, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in southern Guangdong Province, Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan Province, Xiamen in southeastern Fujian Province, Wuhan in central Hubei Province and Qingdao in eastern Shandong Province.

Shanghai's Hongqiao International Airport will become the future operational base of the C919s.

The C919 last month obtained the type certificate, a milestone step on its journey to market operation.