China's first Boeing 787 makes debut flight

GUANGZHOU - A Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the first of its kind delivered to China, landed in Beijing Friday afternoon, marking the beginning of the aircraft's commercial operation in the country.

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner takes off from at Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou city, capital of South China's Guangdong province on June 7, 2013. [Photo/China Southern Airlines]

The 228-seat aircraft, operated by China Southern Airlines, departed Baiyun International Airport in the south China city of Guangzhou at 12:35 pm. It touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport at 2:56 pm.

The aircraft's debut flight in China was scheduled for Thursday, but was postponed until Friday due to inclement weather.

The aircraft was delivered to the Chinese airline on Sunday.

It will initially be used for flights between Guangzhou and Beijing and will later serve international routes from Guangzhou to Paris, Vancouver, London and Auckland, company sources said.

Friday's flight makes China Southern the only airline in the world operating the long-haul Boeing 787 and Airbus 380 aircraft.