British holidaymakers could soon be jetting off for a summer break on a plane never before seen above European skies.

China was last week celebrating the inaugural flight of the Comac C919, the aircraft it hopes will catapult the communist country into the aviation fray to compete with Boeing and Airbus. Broadcast live across the country and lasting 79 minutes, the flight from Shanghai has pricked the ears of the industry’s bigwigs, with low-cost airline Ryanair already showing an interest in flying the model.

The first flight was met hyped up in China Credit: STR

Six years ago the Irish carrier signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the state-owned manufacturer to “participate in discussion on the development” of the C919, designed to carry 160 passengers, and has this week said it remains keen on following the prospect of the aircraft.

Asked if Ryanair would be interested in placing an order for the C919, a spokesperson said: “Yes, if it produces a 199 seat version and is competitively priced.”

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has previously said that he welcomed an alternative to Boeing and Airbus, adding he was “seriously interested in the development of a 200 seat variant”.

The road ahead for China and Comac is long, with the aircraft, most closely akin to the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320, required to go through a number of safety and inspection processes before acquiring certificates from aviation authorities around the world, including the European Aviation Safety Association (EASA) and the US equivalent, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

But China will take encouragement from the rate of growth in the industry. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) says that the “global air transport network” doubles in size once every 15 years. Boeing, accordingly, says that some 40,000 new planes are needed by the industry to handle the capacity over the next 20 years, while Chinese airlines are expected to spend more than $1trillion on aircraft over the next two decades. Comac will want a slice of the pie.

The Chinese manufacturer already says it has 570 orders, mostly from domestic airlines, and is targeting an entry into service by 2020. The company says, too, it has plans to build larger jumbo jets.

China is intent on building a self-sufficient aviation industry. Where the likes of Boeing, founded in Seattle, and Airbus, in Toulouse, import components before constructing an aircraft, China wants its parts manufactured in the country.

“Comac will choose international suppliers through bidding, but priority will go to foreign suppliers that design and manufacture products with domestic companies,” Wu Guanghui, the C919’s chief designer, said.

The C919 is not the first commercial aircraft to be championed by China. Developed in the Seventies, the Shanghai Y-10 was a copy of the Boeing 707, but never made it past two units before being scrapped. The Comac ARJ21, a 78-seat regional jet, was more successful, launching in 2007 and entering service last year with Chengdu Airlines. Still, only six have been built.

Currently, Ryanair has a fleet of more than 360 Boeing 737s, and has on order another 100 737 Max 200s.