 | |||||||
.jpg) Lao AirlinesAirbus A320 landing atBeijing Capital International Airport | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | 10 January 1976; 49 years ago (1976-01-10) (asCivil Aviation Company) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 1989; 36 years ago (1989) (asLao Aviation since 1979) | ||||||
| Hubs | |||||||
| Focus cities | Pakse | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Champa Muang Lao | ||||||
| Fleet size | 13 | ||||||
| Destinations | 21[1] | ||||||
| Headquarters | Vientiane,Laos | ||||||
| Key people | Viengxay Singkham (Managing Director) | ||||||
| Employees | 1,000 | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
Lao Airlines State Enterprise[2] (Lao:ລັດວິສາຫະກິດການບິນລາວ) is theflag carrier ofLaos, headquartered inVientiane. It operates domestic and international services to countries such asCambodia,China,South Korea,Thailand andVietnam. Its main operating base isWattay International Airport in Vientiane.[3] It is owned by theMinistry of Public Works and Transport.[2]
In September 1976, the company was formed from the merger of two existing airlines,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 toATR 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 byCFM International CFM56 engines.[6]
In May 2025, Lao Airlines became the second airline outside China (afterTransNusa ofIndonesia) to commence commercial flights with theComac C909.[7]
As of July 2025[update], Lao Airlines flies (or has flown) to the following destinations:[8][9]
Lao Airlines hascodeshare agreements with the following airlines:[12]
Lao Airlines hasinterline agreements with the following airlines:[14]
As of August 2025[update], Lao Airlines operates the following aircraft:[15]
| 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 | |
| Comac C909 | 2 | — | — | 90 | 90 | |
| 4 | 85 | 89 | ||||
| Total | 13 | — | ||||
| 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 | |
| Xi'an MA60 | 4[16] | Unknown | Unknown | Transferred toLao Skyway. |
Lao Airlines aircraft feature afrangipani insignia on theirvertical stabilizers. The frangipani is the official national flower of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The words "Lao Airlines" are colored inblue.[citation needed]
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