China United Airlines
Encyclopedia
China United Airlines Co.
, Ltd.
is an airline
based in Beijing
, People's Republic of China
, operating scheduled flights and charter services in co-operation with local enterprises out of Beijing Nanyuan Airport
, making it the only commercial airline using this airport.
. In November 2002, all scheduled services were ceased, followed by a full suspension of flight operations in 2003 due to a Chinese governmental regulation prohibiting the Army from being directly involved in commercial activities. On June 4, 2005, the Civil Aviation Administration of China
the relaunch of the airline, now with Shanghai Airlines
holding 80 percent of the stake, as well as CASGC
as a secondary shareholder. Even though the China United Airline has since then lost its military status, it is still allowed to use military airports, in contrast to other Chinese airlines.
as Jiang Zemin
's private jet. Several days before its first flight, a covert listening device
was discovered, which was installed on toilet, corridor, and even in Jiang's headboard. The listening device was monitored by satellite. CIA, American embassy in China, and China United Airlines refuse to comment on this incident.
had authorized the sale of Boeing
aircraft to China United Airlines. As the airline at that time was part of the People's Liberation Army, the US-made aircraft also went into the army stock. It was reported that they were used for troop transport during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
. The Chinese in turn accused former US President Bill Clinton
of having approved the sale of a former Delta Air Lines
Boeing 767-300
, which was planned to become the private airplane of then President of the People's Republic of China
Jiang Zemin
, until hidden American covert listening device
s were found.
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
, Ltd.
Private company limited by shares
A private company limited by shares, usually called a private limited company , is a type of company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, Scotland, that of certain Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland...
is an airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, operating scheduled flights and charter services in co-operation with local enterprises out of Beijing Nanyuan Airport
Beijing Nanyuan Airport
Beijing Nanyuan Airport is an airport in Beijing, People's Republic of China . Located in the southern portion of the city, in Fengtai District, and 3 kilometres south of the Fourth Ring Road and 13 kilometres from Tiananmen Square, Nanyuan Airport was first opened in 1910, making it the oldest...
, making it the only commercial airline using this airport.
History and Development
China United Airlines was established in 1986 as an arm of the civil transport division of the People's Liberation ArmyPeople's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
. In November 2002, all scheduled services were ceased, followed by a full suspension of flight operations in 2003 due to a Chinese governmental regulation prohibiting the Army from being directly involved in commercial activities. On June 4, 2005, the Civil Aviation Administration of China
Civil Aviation Administration of China
The Civil Aviation Administration of China , formerly the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China , is the aviation authority under the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China. It oversees civil aviation and investigates aviation accidents and incidents...
the relaunch of the airline, now with Shanghai Airlines
Shanghai Airlines
Shanghai Airlines is an airline headquartered in the Jing'an District, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, but its operations remain separate post-merger, retaining its distinct brand and livery....
holding 80 percent of the stake, as well as CASGC
China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Group Corporation
China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Group Corporation is a Chinese government corporation involved in the import and export of civil aviation products. In particular the group is responsible for ordering and distributing all aircraft for China's airlines.-External links:*...
as a secondary shareholder. Even though the China United Airline has since then lost its military status, it is still allowed to use military airports, in contrast to other Chinese airlines.
Criticism to the United States
In 2000, China United Airlines spent 120 million to buy a Boeing 767-300ERBoeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
as Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
's private jet. Several days before its first flight, a covert listening device
Covert listening device
A covert listening device, more commonly known as a bug or a wire, is usually a combination of a miniature radio transmitter with a microphone. The use of bugs, called bugging, is a common technique in surveillance, espionage and in police investigations.A bug does not have to be a device...
was discovered, which was installed on toilet, corridor, and even in Jiang's headboard. The listening device was monitored by satellite. CIA, American embassy in China, and China United Airlines refuse to comment on this incident.
Criticism in the United States
In 2002, it became known that former US President George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
had authorized the sale of Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
aircraft to China United Airlines. As the airline at that time was part of the People's Liberation Army, the US-made aircraft also went into the army stock. It was reported that they were used for troop transport during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
. The Chinese in turn accused former US President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
of having approved the sale of a former Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
Boeing 767-300
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
, which was planned to become the private airplane of then President of the People's Republic of China
President of the People's Republic of China
The President of the People's Republic of China is a ceremonial office and a part of State organs under the National People's Congress and it is the head of state of the People's Republic of China . The office was created by the 1982 Constitution...
Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
, until hidden American covert listening device
Covert listening device
A covert listening device, more commonly known as a bug or a wire, is usually a combination of a miniature radio transmitter with a microphone. The use of bugs, called bugging, is a common technique in surveillance, espionage and in police investigations.A bug does not have to be a device...
s were found.
Destinations
- China, People's Republic ofPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
- AnhuiAnhuiAnhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
- FuyangFuyangFuyang may refer to:*Fuyang, Anhui , prefecture-level city in Anhui, China** the Fuyang meteorite of 1977, which fell in Anhui, China *Fuyang, Zhejiang , county-level city in Zhejiang, China...
(Fuyang AirportFuyang AirportFuyang Xiguan Airport is an airport serving the city of Fuyang in Anhui Province, China.-Airline and Destination:-See also:*List of airports in the People's Republic of China*List of the busiest airports in the People's Republic of China...
)
- Fuyang
- BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
- BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
(Beijing Nanyuan AirportBeijing Nanyuan AirportBeijing Nanyuan Airport is an airport in Beijing, People's Republic of China . Located in the southern portion of the city, in Fengtai District, and 3 kilometres south of the Fourth Ring Road and 13 kilometres from Tiananmen Square, Nanyuan Airport was first opened in 1910, making it the oldest...
) Hub
- Beijing
- ChongqingChongqingChongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
- ChongqingChongqingChongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
(Chongqing Jiangbei International AirportChongqing Jiangbei International AirportChongqing Jiangbei International Airport is an airport located in the Yubei District of Chongqing, People's Republic of China offering a growing network of direct flights to China, South East Asia, the Middle East and Europe...
)
- Chongqing
- GuangdongGuangdongGuangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
- GuangzhouGuangzhouGuangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
(Guangzhou Baiyun International AirportGuangzhou Baiyun International AirportGuangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the main airport of Guangzhou, the capital of the province of Guangdong, People's Republic of China. Both airport codes were inherited from the previous Guangzhou airport, and the IATA code reflects Guangzhou's former romanization Canton...
) - FoshanFoshanFoshan is a city in central Guangdong province in southern China. The prefectural area under the city's jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper ....
(Foshan AirportFoshan AirportFoshan Shadi Airport , or Shadi Air Base, is a dual-use military and public airport serving the city of Foshan in Guangdong Province, China.-History:The Shadi Air Base is an airbase of People's Liberation Army Air Force...
)
- Guangzhou
- HainanHainanHainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
- SanyaSanyaSanya is the southernmost city in China and is a part of Hainan Province. In 2006, it had a population of 536,000, making it, after the provincial capital , the second most populous city on the island. The city is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination,...
(Sanya Fenghuang International Airport)
- Sanya
- HunanHunan' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
- Changsha (Changsha Huanghua International AirportChangsha Huanghua International AirportChangsha Huanghua International Airport is the airport serving Changsha, Hunan province, People's Republic of China, as well as nearby cities such as Zhuzhou and Xiangtan. Located about of the city centee in the town of Huanghua in Changsha County, the airport has two terminal buildings and is...
)
- Changsha (Changsha Huanghua International Airport
- Inner MongoliaInner MongoliaInner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
- BaotouBaotouBaotou is a mid-sized industrial city in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, its urban areas are home to a population of approximately 1.78 million, with a total population of over 2.65 million accounting for counties under...
(Baotou AirportBaotou AirportBaotou Airport is an airport in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China . Baotou Airport was founded preliminarily in 1934 and opened in 1956. The airport is 14 miles from downtown areas and taxi or bus is available....
) - HailarHailarHailar may refer to:* Hailar River, part of the Russia-China border* Hailar District, district in Inner Mongolia, China...
(Hailar Dongshan AirportHailar Dongshan AirportHailar Dongshan Airport is an airport in Hailar, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China .-Airlines and destinations:...
) - HohhotHohhotHohhot , is a city in north-central China and the capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, serving as the region's administrative, economic, and cultural centre....
(Hohhot Baita International AirportHohhot Baita International AirportHohhot Baita International Airport is an airport in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China . It is the largest airport in Inner Mongolia and lies east of downtown Hohhot...
) - OrdosOrdos-Places:*Ordos Loop of the Yellow River, a region of China*Ordos Desert, in Inner Mongolia*Ordos City, city and district in Inner Mongolia*Ordos International Circuit, a race track in Ordos City.-People:...
(Ordos AirportOrdos AirportOrdos Ejin Horo Airport is an airport located in Ejin Horo Banner, Inner Mongolia, serving the city of Ordos in the People's Republic of China. First built in 1959 as Dongsheng Airport, the airport was rebuilt in 2005 at a cost of 350 million yuan, and re-opened in July 2007.-Airlines and...
)
- Baotou
- JiangsuJiangsu' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
- WuxiWuxiWuxi is an old city in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. Split in half by Lake Tai, Wuxi borders Changzhou to the west and Suzhou to the east. The northern half looks across to Taizhou across the Yangtze River, while the southern half also borders the province of Zhejiang to the south...
(Wuxi Shuofang AirportWuxi Shuofang AirportSunan Shuofang International Airport is an airport serving the cities of Wuxi and Suzhou in southern Jiangsu Province, China . It is located in the town of Shuofang, southeast of Wuxi and northwest of Suzhou. The airport was built in 1955 for military use, and commercial flights only started...
) - LianyungangLianyungangLianyungang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north...
(Lianyungang Baitabu Airport)
- Wuxi
- JiangxiJiangxi' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
- GanzhouGanzhouGanzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangxi province, People's Republic of China. Its administrative seat is at Zhanggong .-History:...
(Ganzhou Airport)
- Ganzhou
- ShaanxiShaanxi' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
- YulinYulinYulin may refer to the following locations in China:* Yulin, Guangxi , prefecture-level city* Yulin, Shaanxi , prefecture-level city** Yulin Xisha Airport , serving Yulin, Shaanxi* Yulin Port , port in Sanya, Hainan...
(Yulin AirportYulin AirportYulin Xisha Airport is a former airport in Yulin, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China. The official Yulin airport codes were changed to the new Yulin Yuyang Airport when the latter was opened in March 2008....
)
- Yulin
- ShandongShandong' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
- LinyiLinyiLinyi is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, People's Republic of China. The largest prefecture-level city in Shandong both by area and total population, Linyi borders Rizhao to the east, Weifang to the northeast, Zibo to the north, Tai'an to the northwest, Jining to the...
(Linyi AirportLinyi AirportLinyi Mubuling Airport is an airport serving the city of Linyi in Shandong Province, China.-Airlines and destinations:According to the latest airport schedule.-See also:*List of airports in the People's Republic of China...
)
- Linyi
- ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
- ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
(Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport)
- Shanghai
- SichuanSichuan' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
- ChengduChengduChengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
(Chengdu Shuangliu International AirportChengdu Shuangliu International AirportChengdu Shuangliu International Airport is a major airport serving Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, China. It is located in the north of Shuangliu County, about southwest of downtown Chengdu....
)
- Chengdu
- ZhejiangZhejiangZhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
- HangzhouHangzhouHangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
(Hangzhou Xiaoshan International AirportHangzhou Xiaoshan International AirportHangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport is the principal airport serving Hangzhou, a major city in the Yangtze River Delta region and the capital of Zhejiang Province, China....
) - QuzhouQuzhouQuzhou is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Zhejiang province, China. Sitting on the upper course of the Qiantang River, it borders Hangzhou to the north, Jinhua to the east, Lishui to the southeast, and the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi and Anhui to the south the south, southwest and...
(Quzhou AirportQuzhou AirportQuzhou Airport is a dual-use military and civil airport serving the city of Quzhou in Zhejiang Province, China. The airport is located 2.9 kilometers east of the city center and was opened to civil flights on 26 November 1993.-Facilities:...
)
- Hangzhou
- Anhui
Fleet
As of November 2011, the China United Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 11.6 years:| Aircraft | Total | Passengers (First/Economy) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-700 Boeing 737 Next Generation The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners... |
|||
| Boeing 737-800 Boeing 737 Next Generation The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners... |
144 (8/156) | ||
| Tupolev Tu-154M | |||
| Total | |||