Lao Airlines
Encyclopedia
Lao Airlines is an airline
based in Vientiane
, Laos
. It is the national airline of Laos, operating domestic services to ten destinations and international services to Cambodia
, China
, Thailand
, Vietnam
and Singapore
. Its main base is Wattay International Airport
, Vientiane.
shared holder with Lao government. Until early of 2000s, Lao Airlines changed to be 100% owned by Lao government and the name was changed to Lao Airlines in early 2003. It is wholly owned by the government of Laos.
Flying mainly to small airfields in mountainous, tropical Laos, the airline acquired a not-too-favorable reputation for safety, several flights being lost over the years. More recently, with better aircraft and airfields, this reputation has been overcome. Since 2000, there have not been any accidents involving Lao Airlines. Reliability is now complying to international standards with ATR 72
and Chinese-made Xian MA60
aircraft. In 2007 and 2008, the company received the International Arch of Europe Award. On 8 November 2011, Lao Airlines has taken delivery of the first of two Airbus A320
aircraft ordered from Airbus. The second Airbus A320 is scheduled to arrive in December 2011. The A320s are the first jet aircraft to be purchased by Lao Airlines and feature a two class layout seating of 126 passengers in the main cabin and 16 in Business Class. The aircraft are powered by CFM56 engines from CFM International.
As of July 2011, Lao Airlines operates scheduled flights to the following destinations:
Former destinations
Bangkok Airways
Vietnam Airlines
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 Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
. It is the national airline of Laos, operating domestic services to ten destinations and international services to Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Its main base is Wattay International Airport
Wattay International Airport
-Ground transportation:Access to airport by taxi, car and tuk-tuk. A taxi rank is located outside the main arrival hall.-Accidents and incidents:*On 24 March 1976, Douglas C-47A XW-TAF and C-47Bs XW-TDF and XW-TDR or Royal Air Lao were damaged beyond economic repair in a storm.-External links:* *...
, Vientiane.
History
The airline was established and started operations in September 1976 as Lao Aviation. Lately of 1990s, China Yunnan AirlinesChina Yunnan Airlines
China Yunnan Airlines was an airline based in Kunming, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China.-History:The airline was based in Kunming Wujiaba International Airport in Yunnan province and operated a fleet of Bombardier CRJ-200, Boeing 737-300 and Boeing 767-300 aircraft before the merger...
shared holder with Lao government. Until early of 2000s, Lao Airlines changed to be 100% owned by Lao government and the name was changed to Lao Airlines in early 2003. It is wholly owned by the government of Laos.
Flying mainly to small airfields in mountainous, tropical Laos, the airline acquired a not-too-favorable reputation for safety, several flights being lost over the years. More recently, with better aircraft and airfields, this reputation has been overcome. Since 2000, there have not been any accidents involving Lao Airlines. Reliability is now complying to international standards with ATR 72
ATR 72
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology...
and Chinese-made Xian MA60
Xian MA60
|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.-External links:* * *...
aircraft. In 2007 and 2008, the company received the International Arch of Europe Award. On 8 November 2011, Lao Airlines has taken delivery of the first of two Airbus A320
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
aircraft ordered from Airbus. The second Airbus A320 is scheduled to arrive in December 2011. The A320s are the first jet aircraft to be purchased by Lao Airlines and feature a two class layout seating of 126 passengers in the main cabin and 16 in Business Class. The aircraft are powered by CFM56 engines from CFM International.
Destinations
- Domestic
- Houei Sai - Ban Huoeisay AirportBan Huoeisay AirportBan Huoeisay Airport is an airport in Ban Hat Tai, Laos. Alternative spellings are Ban Houay Xay Airport or Ban Houei Sai Airport.-Accidents and incidents:...
- Luang Namtha - Louangnamtha AirportLouangnamtha AirportLouangnamtha Airport is an airport in Laos, located 6 km south of the city of Louang Namtha.The airport was closed between 2006 and 2008 for a renovation that extended the runway from 1200 meters to 1600 meters, allowing larger aircraft like the ATR 72 to use the airport, and built a new 700 sq.m....
- Luang PrabangLuang PrabangLuang Prabang, or Louangphrabang , is a city located in north central Laos, where the Nam Khan river meets the Mekong River about north of Vientiane. It is the capital of Luang Prabang Province...
- Luang Prabang International AirportLuang Prabang International Airport-Extension:In 2011 extension of the Airport runway will start. After planned completion in 2013 the airport will be capable of accommodating all large-sized aircraft except the Airbus A380.-External links:*...
Focus City - Oudomxay - Oudomsay AirportOudomsay AirportOudomsay Airport is an airport in Muang Xay, Laos .-Airlines and destinations:...
- Pakse - Pakse International AirportPakse International AirportPakse International Airport is one of the few international airports in Laos. Pakse is the former southern capital city of the Champasak Kingdom.-Airlines:...
- SavannakhetSavannakhetSavannakhet or Kaysone Phomvihane is a city in western Laos and the capital of the Savannakhet Province, previously known as Khanthabouli . This is the second-largest city in Laos, after Vientiane. The city is birthtown of Kaysone Phomvihane, former president of Laos, and was named after him in...
- Savannakhet AirportSavannakhet AirportSavannakhet Airport is an airport near Savannakhet, Laos.-Overview:This airport is now served by Lao Airlines as an intermediate stop in its thrice weekly Pakse-Bangkok service,which commenced at the start of the winter 2008-2009 timetable.The aircraft used on this service is the Chinese built... - VientianeVientiane-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
- Wattay International AirportWattay International Airport-Ground transportation:Access to airport by taxi, car and tuk-tuk. A taxi rank is located outside the main arrival hall.-Accidents and incidents:*On 24 March 1976, Douglas C-47A XW-TAF and C-47Bs XW-TDF and XW-TDR or Royal Air Lao were damaged beyond economic repair in a storm.-External links:* *...
Base - Xieng Khuang - Xieng Khouang AirportXieng Khouang AirportXieng Khouang Airport is an airport in Phonsavan, Laos .-Airlines and destinations:Lao Airlines offers six flights a week in peak season and four flights to Vientiane in low season.Flights are at noon and leave in the early afternoon.-References:...
- Houei Sai - Ban Huoeisay Airport
-
- Phnom PenhPhnom PenhPhnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
- Phnom Penh International AirportPhnom Penh International Airport-Statistics:-International terminal profile:*Total capacity: 2 million passengers**Surface: **Waiting lounges: **VIP Lounge: **Food & Beverage: **Duty Free: *Seat capacity: 360*Check-in counters: 22*Visa, Immigration and Customs counters: 30... - Siem ReapSiem ReapSiem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region.Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market...
- Siem Reap International Airport
- Phnom Penh
Mainland China
- KunmingKunming' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
- Kunming Wujiaba International AirportKunming Wujiaba International Airport- History :The airport is among the oldest airports in China, with a history that can be traced back over 100 years to the early 1900s, when Wujiaba Airport was first built under the supervision of local warlord, General Tang Jiyao.... - Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport
- Kunming
-
- Singapore Changi AirportSingapore Changi AirportSingapore Changi Airport , Changi International Airport, or simply Changi Airport, is the main airport in Singapore. A major aviation hub in Southeast Asia, it is about north-east from the commercial centre in Changi, on a site....
- Singapore Changi Airport
-
- BangkokBangkokBangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
- Suvarnabhumi AirportSuvarnabhumi AirportSuvarnabhumi Airport , also known as Bangkok International Airport, is an international airport serving Bangkok, Thailand. It was officially opened for limited domestic flight service on 15 September 2006, and opened for most domestic and all international commercial flights on 28 September... - Chiang MaiChiang MaiChiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
- Chiang Mai International AirportChiang Mai International AirportChiang Mai International Airport is located in Chiang Mai, Thailand.Chiang Mai International Airport is the major gateway to the north of Thailand, and currently the third busiest airport in the country. As of 2010, 17 airlines operate services and more than 3,000,000 passengers, 15,000 flights...
- Bangkok
-
- HanoiHanoiHanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
- Noi Bai International AirportNoi Bai International AirportNoi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is the largest in the north of the country. It is 28 miles from the city centre. The travel time from the city centre is 30–45 minutes.-Facilities:... - Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
- Tan Son Nhat International AirportTan Son Nhat International AirportTan Son Nhat International Airport is Vietnam's largest international airport in terms of area . It has a handling capacity of 15-17 million passengers per year, compared with the capacity of Hanoi - Noi Bai airport of 8 million passengers and Da Nang's 2 million passengers...
- Hanoi
Former destinations
- Thailand - Udon Thani
- Vietnam - Da Nang
Codeshare agreements
Lao Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways Co., Ltd. is a regional airline based in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, Thailand. It operates scheduled services to destinations in Thailand, Cambodia, China, Laos, Maldives, Burma, India and Singapore...
Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines Company Limited, trading as Vietnam Airlines , is the national flag carrier of Vietnam. Founded in 1956 under the name Vietnam Civil Aviation, the airline was established as a state enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Bien, Hanoi, with hubs at Noi...