China's C919 jetliner on Shanghai-Hong Kong route welcomes passengers

The first regular flight of China's homegrown C919 jetliner flying from Shanghai to Hong Kong on Wednesday welcomed its passengers who were excited to witness the airliner's first-ever regional commercial operation.

The jet carrying 157 passengers took off from the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 08:21 and landed at the Hong Kong International Airport at 10:44, marking the inauguration of this type of aircraft's regular services on this route.

Many of the boarding passengers said they booked the flight to witness this special moment.

"I've come together with my son. We've looked forward to this moment for a long time," said a passenger.

"Happened to get the chance this time and managed to snap the ticket ups. Just to take it for a unique and significant new year and a record of this year. Also as a historic evidence, which sounds nice. Also as a historic evidence, which sounds nice," said her son.

To ensure that C919 passengers will have comfortable and smooth travel experience, Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection opened special channels to help them check in more efficiently.

"We've opened special channels in the border inspection hall of the Hongqiao airport for passengers boarding C919 on the day," said Dong Jianguo, director of the border inspection division of Hongqiao Border Inspection Station under Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection.

China Eastern Airlines, operator of the flight route, said the company hopes the trip will serve as tangible proof of the development of China's civil aviation technology.

"It is the most significant and newest one among the new flight routes we inaugurated to major cities around the country operated by C919 aircraft. I hope passengers flying on this route could fully feel for and experience the development and progress of our country's civil aviation science and technology," said Shang Feng, general manager of C919 Flight Division of Shanghai Flight Department of China Eastern Airlines.

China's C919 jetliner on Shanghai-Hong Kong route welcomes passengers

The European Central Bank (ECB) announced on Thursday that it would slash key interest rates by 25 basis points in a bid to wind down the restrictive monetary policy.

Effective from March 12, the interest rates on the deposit facility, the main refinancing operations and the marginal lending facility will be decreased to 2.50 percent, 2.65 percent and 2.90 percent respectively, said the central bank in a statement.

The disinflation process is well on track, with headline inflation averaging 2.3 percent in 2025, 1.9 percent in 2026 and 2.0 percent in 2027, the ECB said.

The decision to keep on cutting rates came at a time when the economy in the eurozone is facing increasing uncertainties.

In its latest edition of the staff projections on Thursday, the ECB lowered its forecast for economic growth in the eurozone to 0.9 percent for 2025, 1.2 percent for 2026 and 1.3 percent for 2027.

This marks a downward revision from the ECB's forecast in December last year, which had projected 1.1 percent growth in 2025 and 1.4 percent in 2026, while the 2027 outlook remains unchanged.

The ECB attributed the weaker growth outlook for 2025 and 2026 to declining exports and sluggish investment, citing high trade policy uncertainty and broader economic instability as key factors.

ECB cuts interest rates by 25 basis points