# Lao Airlines

Lao Airlines State Enterprise (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. It is owned by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

## History

In September 1976, the company was formed from the merger of two existing airlines namely, Royal Air Lao and Lao Air Lines. The company became Lao Aviation in 1979. 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.
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.

## Destinations

As of July 2024, Lao Airlines flies (or has flown) to the following destinations:
| Country | City | Airport | Notes |
| Cambodia | Phnom Penh | Phnom Penh International Airport | Terminated |
| Cambodia | Siem Reap | Siem Reap International Airport | Airport Closed |
| Cambodia | Siem Reap | Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport | |
| China | Beijing | Beijing Capital International Airport | Terminated |
| China | Changsha | Changsha Huanghua International Airport | |
| China | Chengdu | Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport | Terminated |
| China | Chengdu | Chengdu Tianfu International Airport | |
| China | Chongqing | Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport | Terminated |
| China | Changzhou | Changzhou Benniu International Airport | |
| China | Guangzhou | Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport | |
| China | Hangzhou | Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport | |
| China | Jinghong | Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport | Terminated |
| China | Kunming | Kunming Changshui International Airport | |
| China | Kunming | Kunming Wujiaba International Airport | Airport Closed |
| China | Quanzhou | Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport | |
| China | Shanghai | Shanghai Pudong International Airport | Terminated |
| China | Wenzhou | Wenzhou Longwan International Airport | Terminated |
| Japan | Kumamoto | Kumamoto Airport | Future route |
| Japan | Tokyo | Narita International Airport | Future route |
| Laos | Attapeu | Attapeu International Airport | Terminated |
| Laos | Bokeo | Ban Huoeisay Airport | Terminated |
| Laos | Bokeo | Bokeo International Airport | |
| Laos | Luang Namtha | Louang Namtha Airport | |
| Laos | Luang Prabang | Luang Prabang International Airport | Hub |
| Laos | Muang Xay | Oudomsay Airport | Terminated |
| Laos | Pakse | Pakse International Airport | Secondary hub |
| Laos | Phongsali | Boun Neua Airport | Terminated |
| Laos | Phonsavan | Xieng Khouang Airport | Terminated |
| Laos | Savannakhet | Savannakhet Airport | |
| Laos | Sainyabuli | Sayaboury Airport | Terminated |
| Laos | Vientiane | Wattay International Airport | Hub |
| Laos | Xam Neua | Nongkhang Airport | |
| Singapore | Singapore | Changi Airport | Terminated |
| South Korea | Busan | Gimhae International Airport | Terminated |
| South Korea | Cheongju | Cheongju International Airport | Terminated |
| South Korea | Muan | Muan International Airport | |
| South Korea | Seoul | Incheon International Airport | |
| Thailand | Bangkok | Don Mueang International Airport | Terminated |
| Thailand | Bangkok | Suvarnabhumi Airport | |
| Thailand | Chiang Mai | Chiang Mai International Airport | |
| Thailand | Udon Thani | Udon Thani International Airport | Terminated |
| Vietnam | Da Nang | Da Nang International Airport | |
| Vietnam | Hanoi | Gia Lam Airport | Airport Closed |
| Vietnam | Hanoi | Noi Bai International Airport | |
| Vietnam | Ho Chi Minh City | Tan Son Nhat International Airport | |

### Codeshare agreements

Lao Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
* Bangkok Airways
* Air Cambodia
* Thai Airways International
* VietJet Air
* Vietnam Airlines

## Fleet

As of July 2024, Lao Airlines operates the following aircraft:

### Former fleet
## Livery

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.

## Accidents and incidents

* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* On 14 February 2002, Flight 702, 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.
* 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.