According to netizens’ video posts, Air China flight CA1507 was originally scheduled to be operated by the C919 aircraft but was changed to an Airbus A320 due to a malfunction that required a return to the gate. This unusual incident involving the C919 has attracted attention.
On September 22nd, netizens shared live videos showing passengers on board Air China flight CA1507 at Beijing Capital International Airport disembarking with their carry-on luggage. The flight announcement stated, “Our engineers are investigating the issue. If the flight needs to be canceled, please contact our ground staff.”
One netizen mentioned that the Air China flight CA1507, which was supposed to be operated by the C919 aircraft, had to return to the gate for a malfunction and was replaced with an Airbus A320.
Another netizen remarked, “I checked on ‘Flight Tracker’ (a flight travel service app) today (September 22nd) and it showed that an Airbus A320 was used, indicating a last-minute aircraft swap.”
Flight information from Flight Tracker displayed that the CA1507 flight had a duration of 1 hour and 40 minutes, covering a distance of 1178 kilometers with the Airbus A320-232 (narrow-body aircraft).
Huashang News reported that after contacting Air China to inquire about the specific reason for the aircraft model change, customer service revealed that the CA1507 flight, which was scheduled to depart at 07:30 AM, actually took off at 10:38 AM and landed in Shanghai at 12:23 PM.
When asked about the cause of the malfunction, the customer service representative stated, “Based on the current records, we cannot determine why there was an aircraft model change. Overall, the delay was caused by Air China.”
The customer service representative further mentioned, “The notification received indicates that the domestically produced C919 aircraft only began operating in September, starting this month.”
Regarding the possibility of seeking compensation for the switch from the C919 to the A320 aircraft, the customer service team stated that there are currently no provisions for applying for compensation in this regard, and there are no relevant documents available at the moment.
In cases where flight delays occur due to the airline’s aircraft change, the possibility of compensation was addressed by the customer service, stating, “I checked and found that compensation can be claimed only for delays exceeding 4 hours. As of now, the delay is 3 hours and 8 minutes, which does not meet the criteria. Whether it is flight delay or aircraft change, there are currently no regulations supporting compensation claims.”
On September 22nd, a senior pilot mentioned that there could be various reasons for an aircraft returning to the gate, mainly based on the airline’s daily operations, aircraft malfunctions, and factors related to the flight crew, among others, which could lead to such incidents.
The substitution of the Airbus A320 for the malfunctioning domestically produced civil aircraft C919 from mainland China is not a new occurrence.
The first domestically produced C919 in mainland China entered into operation on May 28th last year. However, on June 29th last year, after the only C919 flight operated by China Eastern Airlines arrived in Chengdu, it was unable to carry passengers back on its return flight. The return leg of the flight was operated by an Airbus A320, indicating that the C919 aircraft is currently not in service.
Both the manufacturer and the only airline that purchased the C919 aircraft, China Eastern Airlines, remained silent on the matter. There have been rumors suggesting that the C919 uses domestically produced engines. According to reports from Radio Free Asia, the development of the C919 lasted for over a decade and was touted to hold a high strategic position, seen as a backup option once detached from European and American ties. However, insiders disclosed that due to safety concerns, the aircraft primarily utilized various imported components for assembly, causing skepticism within the industry regarding the fundamental safety of the C919.