Lao ATR72

Lao Airlines, known until March 2004 as Lao Aviation was formed in 1976 as the state airline of Laos. Download high resolution version (1025x565, 49 KB)Lao Airlines ATR72 Taken at Xiang Khoang airport, outside Phonsavan, Laos on 22 Jan 2004. ... Download high resolution version (1025x565, 49 KB)Lao Airlines ATR72 Taken at Xiang Khoang airport, outside Phonsavan, Laos on 22 Jan 2004. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Code Data

• IATA Code: QV
• ICAO Code: LAO
• Callsign: Lao

History

Originally using surplus American DC-3s and DC-4s, communist Laos later converted to a mixture of Chinese and Russian equipment, including the Antonov An-24 and Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Y-7 and Y-12. Flying mainly to small airfields in mountainous, tropical Laos, the airline acquired a not too favourably reputation for safety, several flights being lost over the years. Lately, with better aircraft and airfields, this reputation has been overcome. Reliability is still to come up to international standards, however. The main characteristics of this airline is similar to Sri Lankan Airlines, which is paritially owned by the Emirates. This airline has a 60% of share owned by China's Yunnan Airlines. Douglas DC-3 VH-AES at Avalon in 2003. ... The designation DC-4 was used by Douglas Aircraft Company when developing the DC-4E as a large, four-engined type to complement its forthcoming DC-3 design. ... The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport manufactured in Russia by The Antonov Design bureau. ...

Services

Lao Airlines flies between their base at Vientiane and a variety of regional cities throughout Laos, using the Y-12 and ATR-72. They also serve destinations in neighbouring China, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam with the ATRs and a newly leased solitary Airbus A320. Vientiane, is the common name used in western countries for a province, prefecture, and city pronounced Wiang Chan by its residents, and situated in the Mekong Valley, of Laos. ... The Airbus A320 is a short to medium range commercial passenger aircraft manufactured by Airbus. ...

Fleet

• Airbus A320-200 - Used for international routes, starting in 2003. Acquired from Ansett (as of July 2004, the life vests still have the Ansett logo).
• ATR72
• Y-12 - 17 seat twin turboprop mainly used between smaller internal destinations.

The Airbus A320 is a short to medium range commercial passenger aircraft manufactured by Airbus. ... Ansett aircraft at Melbourne Airport after the airlines collapse in 2001 Ansett Australia, or Ansett, was a dominant Australian domestic and international airline, which is in liquidation as of mid- 2004. ... The ATR 72 is a twin-turboprop short-haul regional airliner built in France by the ATR company (Avions de Transport Régional). ... The Harbin Y-12 is a twin-engine turboprop utility aircraft built by Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (HAMC). ...

External Links

• Lao Airlines (http://www.laos-airlines.com/)
• Lao Airlines Jet Fleet Detail (http://www.planemad.net/Airline/LA/Lao_Airlines_(QV_LAO)/Fleet.htm)
• Lao Airlines Passenger Opinions (http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/lao.htm)