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Serving the Lao PDR since 1976
Founded in 1976 as the national carrier
of the newly established Lao PDR, Lao Airlines was originally
known as the Civil Aviation Company and was formed from merger
of existing airlines Royal Air Lao and Lao Air Lines. The
company became Lao Aviation in 1979 and has operated under
that identity right to March this year.
The Lao national carrier initially started
life with a mixed fleet of Western aircraft, including the
Douglas DC-3 and DC-4, operating on international and domestic
routes, as a fleet of helicopters enabling access to the remote
regions. Reflecting the country's closer links with its Eastern
neighbours, a re-equipment exercise was undertaken in the
1980s, with the fleet then primarily composed of aircraft
from China and the Soviet Union. For international services
to Bangkok, Hanoi and Phnom Penh these included the Antonov
An-24.
The decision to upgrade to the newer generation
of European turboprop aircraft being produced by ATR (Avions
de Transport Regional) in France was taken in 1994, when the
first 50-seat ATR42 entered service with the airline which
is removed from the service on 1995 and immediately replacing
by a first 70-seat ART72 aircraft and the second on 1999,
with both ATRs forming the backbone of the carrie's fleet
for international and major domestic services up to today.
These highly relihable aircraft are complemented on routes
to remote areas within the country by the Y-7 and Y-12, seating
50 passengers respectively.
With the arrival of the A320, Lao Airlines
is moving into a new phase of its development, offering passengers
a faster, more comfortable link to the world. The aircraft
will fly primarily on international services to Bangkok, Hanoi,
Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Kunming, as well as on the main
domestic route linking Vientiane with Luang Prabang.
Today the Lao Airlines network extends to
seven international destinations and 11 locations within the
Lao PDR. New routes are planned for the future, including
within the CLMV economic zone of Cambodia, Lao PDR. Myanmar
and Vietnam, as well as to Hong Kong and Singapore.
The Lao Airlines fleet
Lao Airlines passengers flying on all international
routes are new offered service either aboard the Airbus A320
or the Francoltalian ATR72. The aircraft also operate on selected
domestic routes, notably between Vientiane and the world heritage
city of Luang Prabang.
A320:
The new flagship of the Lao Airlines fleet, The A320 is part
of the most modern single aisle jet aircraft family available
today. Manufactured by Europe,s Airbus, the A320 family has
become the fastest selling product line in its size category
and has been selected by more than 110 airlines worldwide.
For passengers, the A320 offers the widest
single-aisle fuselage on the market. This allows for top-of-the-range
comfort with wider seats and aisles. Furthermore, the superior
cabin size and shape allows larger overhead stowage to be
fitted for greater convenience, as well as faster boarding
and disembarkation.
For operators such as Lao Airlines, the A320
features the latest on-board technologies, leading to reduced
fuel burn and maintenance costs. Additionally, the aircraft's
proven record of dispatch reliability will ensure that the
airline maintain a punctual network schedule.
The A320 can fly more than 5,000 kilometres
non-stop, enabling direct service from Vientiane to any destination
in North or South East Asia. The Lao Airlines aircraft is
powered by two CFM56 engines manufactured by Franco-American
joint venture DFM International.
ATR42
Manufactured by the Franco-Italian ATR group, the ATR72 is
part of the world's most successful 40-70 seat turboprop aircraft
family. Altogether, more than 650 ATRs have been delivered
to over 100 airlines in 65 countries.
The ATR family is built around the design
of a high-wing, twin turboprop aircraft optimized from the
start for efficiency, operational flexibility and passenger
comfort. The ATR benefits from the widest cabin in is its
class, providing maximum passenger space and setting new standards
of comfort.
In Lao Airlines configuration the ATR72 has
a single class lay-out seating 70 passengers and is equipped
with two PW124B engines. The versatile aircraft is especially
well adapted to operating conditions found in the Lao PDR.,
with exceptional short-field performance capabilities.
Y-12
For some of the more remote regions in the Lao PDR the only
viable links with the main centres of the country are by air,
with many mountainous locations served only by short landing
strips. For these operations, Lao Airlines operates a fleet
of Y-12 aircraft manufactured by Harbin Aircraft Industry
Group of China. Powered by two PT6-A27 engines from Pratt
& Whitney Canada, the aircraft can seat up to 17 passengers.
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