China's homegrown ARJ21 jetliner launches first high-plateau air route

China's homegrown regional jetliner, the ARJ21, launched its first high-plateau air route on Tuesday in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.　

The regional air route connects southern Xinjiang's Kashgar Laining International Airport with Khunjerab Airport in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, a land port on the China-Pakistan border situated in the Pamirs region of south Xinjiang.　

A plateau airport is defined as one at an altitude exceeding 1,500 meters above sea level, while those above 2,438 meters are classified as high-plateau airports. The Khunjerab Airport, located at 3,258 meters above sea level, is the first high-plateau airport in Xinjiang.　

Chengdu Airlines, based in southwest China's Sichuan Province, stated that it has deployed the ARJ21 aircraft on this route due to its excellent performance.　

As a pioneer of Chinese commercial airplanes, the ARJ21 was put into commercial service by Chengdu Airlines in June 2016.　

(Reported by Sun Zifa; Edited by Liu Yinghan)