Aircraft maker reviewing new designs to challenge Boeing and Airbus and take better advantage of plane’s slightly wider fuselage
2-MIN READ2-MINFrank Chenin ShanghaiPublished: 4:00pm, 10 May 2026China’s flagship civilian aircraft maker is planning to upgrade the cabin capacity of its C919 narrowbody airliner to improve passenger experience and boost the plane’s chances of challenging the Boeing-Airbus duopoly, a source with knowledge of the plans said.Bigger overhead luggage compartments and drip-proof air conditioning outlets are among the design upgrades being sketched out by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac).Advertisement“Comac has realised it must make passengers as comfortable as possible on the C919, when the initial novelty surrounding the home-grown jet has fizzled out and there are complaints about cabin experiences,” said the source, who asked not to be named.
The Shanghai-based manufacturer has delivered 37 C919 jets to Chinese airlines. The plane has flown routes to more than 20 Chinese cities since its maiden commercial flight three years ago and had transported 4 million passengers by the end of last year, according to data from the Ministry of Transport.
Along with the need to improve passengers’ flying experience, Comac faces other challenges to the jet’s greater ubiquity, including limited production capacity, engine delays and hurdles to overseas market expansion.
“One issue that constantly annoys passengers flying the C919 – deterring some from choosing the aircraft – is strict luggage inspection at the gate,” the source said. “Passengers are more likely to be asked to check their bags rather than carry them on board, when cabin compartments are easily filled up due to their inadequate size.”
