Lao Airlines State Enterprise is the national airline of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The airlines is fully owned by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) and has its registered office at Wattay International Airport, Souphanouvong Avenue, P.O. Box 6441, Vientiane, Lao PDR.
Founded in 1976 as the national carrier of the newly established Lao People’s Democratic Republic , Lao Airlines was originally known as the Civil Aviation Company and was formed from the merger of existing existing airlines: Royal Air Lao and Lao Air Lines.
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 well as a fleet of helicopters enabling access to the more 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 ATR72 aircraft and the second on 1999, with both ATRs forming the backbone of the carrier’s fleet for international and major domestic services.
These highly reliable aircraft are complemented on routes to remote areas within the country by the Y-7 and Y-12, seating 50 and 17 passengers respectively. However, these aircraft are no longer in the airline’s fleet today.
With the arrival of the A320, Lao Airlines has moved into a new phase of its development, offering passengers a faster, more comfortable link to the world. The increased cargo capacity is also helping to boost international trade and supports local businesses in Laos.
The A320 aircraft offer seats in Economy Class and Business Class and fly primarily on international services to Bangkok, Hanoi, Kunming and Seoul as well as popular domestic routes like Pakse.
Today, the Lao Airlines network of scheduled flights extends to ten international destinations and seven locations within the Lao PDR. This is complemented by charter flights to destinations in countries like China and South Korea.
Recently added routes in 2024 include Vientiane to Phnom Penh as well as Savannakhet to Bangkok.
New routes are planned for the future, including within ASEAN as well as to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. Domestically, flights to the Northern province of Bokeo are planned.
Lao Airlines also has interline and codeshare partnerships with over 30 airlines globally.
Wattay International Airport, Souphanouvong Avenue P.O. Box 6441, Vientiane, Lao PDR
