The C919 sporting the logo of China Eastern stands at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, Dec 9, 2022. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The first C919 large passenger aircraft will start a 100-hour empty aircraft verification test flight on Monday, to verify and confirm the aircraft's safety in operation, reliability in repair and guarantee capability in flying, CCTV reported.

The aircraft was delivered to China Eastern Airlines on Dec 9, and is expected to be put into commercial use in the spring of 2023 after completing the verification test flight.

The 164-seater aircraft comes with a two-class cabin layout, consisting of business class and economy class.