A Chinese passenger jet C919 performs at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Feb 20, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

SHANGHAI - China's self-developed large passenger aircraft, C919, commenced operation Friday on a new route connecting Shanghai with the historic city of Xi'an in northwest China's Shaanxi province.

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The flight MU2152, operated by China Eastern Airlines, took off from the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at around 8:40 a.m. and departed for the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, marking the launch of the third regular route for the C919.

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The C919 completed its first commercial flight in May 2023 and has since maintained regular operations between Shanghai and Chengdu, the capital of southwest China's Sichuan province. Its second regular route connects the megacities of Beijing and Shanghai.

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As of Feb 29, the China Eastern Airlines' C919 fleet has completed 1,131 commercial flight trips, accumulating more than 3,272 safe flight hours and transporting more than 145,000 passengers.