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Lao Airlines

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Lao Airlines
ການບິນລາວ
การบินลาว
IATA ICAO Call sign
QV LAO LAO
Founded10 January 1976; 48 years ago (1976-01-10)
Hubs
Frequent-flyer programChampa Muang Lao
Fleet size11
Destinations23[1]
HeadquartersVientiane, Laos
Key peopleKhamla Phommavanh (Managing Director)
Employees1,000
Websitewww.laoairlines.com

Lao Airlines State Enterprise[2] (Lao: ລັດວິສາຫະກິດການບິນລາວ, Thai: รัฐวิสาหกิจการบินลาว) is the flag carrier of Laos, headquartered in Vientiane. It operates domestic and international services to countries such as Cambodia, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Its main operating base is Wattay International Airport in Vientiane.[3] It is owned by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.[2]

History

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Lao Airlines ATR 72-500 at Wattay International Airport, Vientiane
Lao Airlines ATR 72-200 (RDPL-34132) with plumeria livery at Pakse International Airport, Laos

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] It operated a fleet of western aircraft and helicopters until re-equiping with Soviet and Chinese aircraft in the 1980s. The airline began upgrading to ATR turboprop aircraft in the mid-1990s, and subsequently to the Airbus A320.[5]

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.[6]

Destinations

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As of July 2024, Lao Airlines flies (or has flown) to the following destinations:[7][8]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
Cambodia Phnom Penh Phnom Penh International Airport Terminated
Siem Reap Siem Reap International Airport Airport closed
Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport
China Beijing Beijing Capital International Airport Terminated
Changsha Changsha Huanghua International Airport
Chengdu Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Terminated
Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
Chongqing Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport Terminated
Changzhou Changzhou Benniu International Airport
Guangzhou Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Hangzhou Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
Jinghong Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport Terminated
Kunming Kunming Changshui International Airport
Kunming Wujiaba International Airport Airport closed
Quanzhou Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport
Shanghai Shanghai Pudong International Airport Terminated
Wenzhou Wenzhou Longwan International Airport Terminated
Laos Attapeu Attapeu International Airport Terminated
Bokeo Ban Huoeisay Airport Terminated
Bokeo International Airport
Luang Namtha Louang Namtha Airport
Luang Prabang Luang Prabang International Airport Hub
Muang Xay Oudomsay Airport Terminated
Pakse Pakse International Airport Secondary hub
Phongsali Boun Neua Airport Terminated
Phonsavan Xieng Khouang Airport Temporarily Terminated
Savannakhet Savannakhet Airport
Sainyabuli Sayaboury Airport Terminated
Vientiane Wattay International Airport Hub
Xam Neua Nongkhang Airport
Nathong Airport Airport closed
Singapore Singapore Changi Airport Terminated
South Korea Busan Gimhae International Airport Terminated
Cheongju Cheongju International Airport Terminated
Muan Muan International Airport
Seoul Incheon International Airport
Thailand Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport Terminated
Suvarnabhumi Airport
Chiang Mai Chiang Mai International Airport
Udon Thani Udon Thani International Airport Terminated
Vietnam Da Nang Da Nang International Airport
Hanoi Gia Lam Airport Airport closed
Noi Bai International Airport
Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport

Codeshare agreements

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Lao Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:[9]

Fleet

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As of July 2024, Lao Airlines operates the following aircraft:[11][12]

Lao Airlines fleet
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

Former fleet

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Lao Airlines retired fleet
Aircraft Fleet Introduced Retired Notes
Airbus A320-200 1 2003 2005 Leased
ATR 42-300 1 1994 1996 Leased
ATR 72-200 2 1996 2011 Leased
Boeing 737-200 1 1996 1998

Livery

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Lao Airlines aircraft feature a frangipani insignia on their vertical stabilizers. The frangipani is the official national flower of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The words "Lao Airlines" are colored in blue.[citation needed]

Accidents and incidents

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  • 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.[13][14]
  • 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.[15]
  • 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.[16]
  • 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.[17]
  • 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.[18]
  • On 14 February 2002, Flight 702,[19] 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.[20]
  • On 16 October 2013, Flight 301, an ATR 72-600 (registration RDPL-34233) twin turboprop carrying 44 passengers and five crew, crashed into the Mekong River, at about 16:00 local time; all 49 on board died. The aircraft was flying from Vientiane to Pakse in Champasak Province in southern Laos, and was attempting to land in bad weather associated with Typhoon Nari.[21][22]

References

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  1. ^ "Lao Airlines".
  2. ^ a b "Press Release #4 Archived 2013-10-21 at archive.today." (Archive) Lao Airlines. 18 October 2013. Retrieved on 20 October 2013.
  3. ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. pp. 104–105.
  4. ^ "About Lao Airlines". Lao Airlines. Archived from the original on 2014-05-26. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  5. ^ "Company Profile". Lao Airlines Official Website. Retrieved 2024-12-05.
  6. ^ "Press releases". airbus. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  7. ^ Lao Airlines Route Map Archived 2010-12-23 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "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)
  9. ^ "Code share flight". Lao Airlines. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  10. ^ "Lao Airlines / VietJet Air Begins Reciprocal Codeshare Partnership in 4Q24".
  11. ^ "Lao Airlines | Lao Airlines Official Website".
  12. ^ "Lao Airlines Fleet | Airfleets aviation".
  13. ^ Accident description for RDPL-34037 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  14. ^ Accident description for RDPL-34037 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  15. ^ Accident description for RDPL-34008 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  16. ^ Accident description for RDPL-34117 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  17. ^ Accident description for RDPL-34001 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  18. ^ Accident description for RDPL-34130 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 17 October 2013.
  19. ^ "Crash of a Harbin Yunshuji Y-12-II in Sam Neua". Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives.
  20. ^ Accident description for RDPL-34118 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  21. ^ "Lao Airlines plane crashes, 44 killed". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  22. ^ "Plane crashes in Laos, 39 people killed: Thai TV". Reuters. 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
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