China's state-owned Comac is set to fly its C919 passenger jet on its first international route on Wednesday, taking off from Beijing for Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. The flight marks Beijing's latest attempt to break into commercial aviation and challenge the Boeing-Airbus duopoly, though analysts caution the plane is more of a symbolic gesture than a genuine competitive threat, noting it relies heavily on Western-made components and remains less efficient than its rivals.

The Air China service will depart Beijing Capital International Airport at 3pm, landing in Ulaanbaatar just over two hours later, and follows domestic C919 flights that began in 2023. Experts point out the jet, similar in size to a Boeing 737, was years behind schedule and drew more than half its suppliers from the US according to a 2020 analysis; Comac reportedly delivered only 15 units last year against a target of 75, and the aircraft still lacks approval from European or American regulators.