CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- A seven-seat PC-12 plane flying from Qianjiang to Liangping in Chongqing smoothly landed at Liangping Airport at noon on November 14. Accompanied by her family, 80-year-old grandma Feng Youcui slowly walked out of the aircraft, her face beaming with joy like a child. That day, her long-held dream of flying on a plane was finally realized.

A charter flight journey

A belated birthday gift

“Getting off the plane! I’m so happy! Thank you for helping me fulfill this dream!” When Feng Youcui stepped off the plane, she excitedly called her grandson, Ren Jiangyun, on a video call. Just five days earlier, Feng had celebrated her 80th birthday. Due to work commitments, Ren and his wife, Liu Mei, had to return to Guangdong shortly after the birthday celebration. However, Ren and Liu had promised to make his grandmother’s wish of flying come true. This flight journey was a carefully planned birthday gift for her.

“Grandma worked hard all her life and never had the chance to take a plane ride. Now that she's not feeling well, we wanted to help her fulfill this dream while we still have time,” Ren Jiangyun explained. He had been raised by his grandmother and shared a particularly close bond with her. Two months ago, when Ren learned that his grandmother was ill, he felt deeply troubled and wanted to do something meaningful for her. Although Feng Youcui had once mentioned wanting to fly, her advanced age and the exhausting nature of long-distance travel had prevented her from doing so. Ren’s wife, Liu Mei, had seen news reports about new short-distance flight routes in Chongqing, where flights last less than an hour and cost only around 100 yuan per person for a single trip. The couple decided to charter a flight to help Grandma Feng achieve her dream.

A three-day journey

Experiencing trains and planes

Since Ren and his wife couldn’t take time off work, they arranged the chartered flight tickets online for the family and asked Ren’s mother, Xie Zhenghui, to lead the trip. On the morning of November 12, Xie led a group of 8 people, including Ren’s grandmother, grandfather, uncles, and aunts, to set off from the central urban area of Chongqing to Liangping Airport. Unfortunately, due to poor weather conditions, they couldn’t fly that day and had to take the high-speed train back to Chongqing. The next day, they planned to fly from Qianjiang.

“Although it was a bit of a hassle, we managed to take both the high-speed train and the plane, and the elderly lady was delighted,” Xie Zhenghui told reporters. The family is from Pengshui, Chongqing. Feng Youcui had worked tirelessly her whole life, raising six children. As the children grew up, she also helped care for her grandchildren. However, she hadn’t traveled far until recently, when she moved into her son’s home in downtown Chongqing after falling ill. Whenever she saw high-speed trains whizzing by or planes flying overhead, her eyes would sparkle with longing. This time, the family wanted to make her dream come true by letting her experience both forms of travel. On November 14, they were finally able to board the plane.

Words of care after the dream was fulfilled

A never-ending concern for family

“Take good care of my great-grandson. Please stay healthy and happy,” Feng Youcui said tearfully to her grandson Ren Jiangyun over the video call after landing. From the moment Ren Jiangyun was born, through his departure from home at 15, and now as a parent, he has always been at the center of his grandmother's thoughts and care. Fulfilling her dream this time was a testament to his unwavering love and filial devotion.

“Grandma, do you want to fly again next time? We can go on another trip together!” Ren said, his voice thick with emotion. On the other end of the call, Feng Youcui responded enthusiastically, “Yes, yes, yes!” Despite her cheerful words, Ren’s heart was heavy. Living and working in another city, Ren only returns to Chongqing twice a year: once for the Chinese New Year and once for his grandma’s birthday. Now, with her health deteriorating, his greatest concern is her well-being, and he hopes to have another opportunity to accompany her on a flight in the future.

With the help of China Feidi Tech, the flight team coordinated closely with the airport and crew to assess the weather conditions and ensure the smooth operation of the chartered flight. As a token of appreciation, they also presented Feng Youcui with a commemorative model airplane.

Chongqing is currently working on establishing a low-altitude flight demonstration zone, and several short-distance flight routes have been launched, including flights between Qianjiang and Yongchuan, Qianjiang and Wanzhou, Qianjiang and Liangping, Yongchuan and Wulong, and Liangping and Wulong. Currently, the ticket price for a one-way flight is only 149 yuan per person, with no additional charges for airport construction and fuel. The normalization of low-altitude integrated flights and the popularization of low-altitude travel are gradually becoming a part of the daily life of citizens. For many, “flying for a short trip” is no longer just a dream. (Translated by Yuki, Fathom Language Limited)