Lao Airlines
| |||||||
Founded | 10 January 1976 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hubs | Wattay International Airport Luang Prabang International Airport | ||||||
Frequent-flyer program | Champa Muang Lao | ||||||
Fleet size | 11 | ||||||
Destinations | 23[1] | ||||||
Headquarters | Vientiane, Laos | ||||||
Key people | Mr Khamla Phommavanh | ||||||
Employees | 1,000 | ||||||
Website | laoairlines.com |
Lao Airlines State Enterprise
History
In September 1976, the company was formed from the merger of two existing airlines namely, Royal Air Lao and Lao Air Lines.[4] The company became Lao Aviation in 1979.[citation needed]
In 2000, a joint venture with
The A320s are the first jet aircraft to be purchased by Lao Airlines and feature a two-class layout seating 126 passengers in the main cabin and 16 in Business Class, and they are powered by CFM International CFM56 engines.[5]
Destinations
As of December 2023[update], Lao Airlines serves a total of 23 destinations in Asia.[6][7]
Lao Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:[8]
Fleet
As of December 2023[update], Lao Airlines operates the following aircraft:[9][10]
Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
J | Y | Total | ||||
Airbus A320-200
|
4 | — | 16 | 126 | 142 | |
8 | 150 | 158 | ||||
ATR 72-500
|
4 | — | — | 70 | 70 | |
ATR 72-600
|
3 | — | — | 70 | 70 | |
Total | 11 | 0 |
Retired fleet
Aircraft | Fleet | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Airbus A320-200
|
1 | 2003 | 2005 | |
ATR 42-300
|
1 | 1994 | 1996 | |
ATR 72-200
|
2 | 1996 | 2011 | |
Boeing 737-200
|
1 | 1996 | 1998 |
Livery
Lao Airlines aircraft feature a plumeria insignia on their vertical stabilizers. The Plumeria is an official national flower of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The words "Lao Airlines" are colored in blue.[citation needed]
Accidents and incidents
- On 1 September 1979, a Lao Aviation Antonov An-26 (registration RDPL-34037) force-landed in a corn field at Ban Mai, Thailand, due to fuel exhaustion after the pilot became disorientated in heavy rain; all 74 passengers and crew survived, but the aircraft was substantially damaged; the aircraft was repaired and flown back to Vientiane on 31 January 1980 where it was written off after crashing on landing.[11][12]
- On 22 April 1990, a Lao Aviation Antonov An-24RV (registration RDPL-34008) overshot the runway at Luang Namtha Airport after an aborted takeoff; the aircraft collided with a building, killing one; all three on the aircraft survived.[13]
- On 13 December 1993, a Lao Aviation Harbin Y-12-II (registration RDPL-34117) crashed on approach to Phonesavanh Airport after clipping trees in fog, killing all 18 on board.[14]
- On 25 May 1998, a Lao Aviation Yakovlev Yak-40 (registration RDPL-34001) crashed in the jungle in heavy rain near Long Tieng, Xiangkhouang Province, killing all 26 on board. The aircraft was carrying a Vietnamese military delegation from Vientiane to Xiangkhouang.[15]
- On 19 October 2000, Lao Aviation Flight 703, a Harbin Y-12-II (registration RDPL-34130), crashed into mountainous terrain in bad weather while on approach to Sam Neua Airport en route from Vientiane; eight of 17 on board died.[16]
- On 14 February 2002, Flight 702,[17] a Harbin Y-12-II (registration RDPL-34118) crashed on the runway while taking off from Sam Neua Airport due to a wind gust; all 15 on board survived, but the aircraft was written off; the engines were sent to Singapore to be rebuilt, the fuselage was cut up and sent to Vietnam for scrap metal.[18]
- On 16 October 2013, Champasak Province in southern Laos, and was attempting to land in bad weather associated with Typhoon Nari.[19][20]
References
- ^ "Lao Airlines".
- ^ a b "Press Release #4 Archived 2013-10-21 at archive.today." (Archive) Lao Airlines. 18 October 2013. Retrieved on 20 October 2013.
- ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. pp. 104–105.
- ^ "About Lao Airlines". Lao Airlines. Archived from the original on 2014-05-26. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
- ^ "Press releases". airbus. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
- ^ Lao Airlines Route Map Archived 2010-12-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Code share flight". Lao Airlines. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
- ^ "Lao Airlines | Lao Airlines Official Website".
- ^ "Lao Airlines Fleet | Airfleets aviation".
- Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
- Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
- Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
- Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
- Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
- Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 17 October 2013.
- ^ "Crash of a Harbin Yunshuji Y-12-II in Sam Neua". Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives.
- Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
- ^ "Lao Airlines plane crashes, 44 killed". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Plane crashes in Laos, 39 people killed: Thai TV". Reuters. 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.