China United Airlines

China United Airlines
中国联合航空
IATA ICAO Callsign
KN CUA LIANHANG
Founded25 December 1986; 37 years ago (1986-12-25)
Operating bases
Fleet size57
Destinations87[1]
Parent companyChina Eastern Airlines
HeadquartersBeijing Daxing International Airport, Daxing, Beijing
Websiteflycua.com

China United Airlines (CUA) is a low-cost carrier[2] and a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines. It is headquartered at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing.

In 2019, the painted aircraft of China United Airlines won Top 1 at the World Classic Aircraft Award.

History

China United Airlines was established in 1986 as an arm of the civil transport division of the People's Liberation Army Air Force. In November 2002, all scheduled services were ceased, followed by a full suspension of flight operations in 2003 due to a Chinese governmental regulation prohibiting the Army from being directly involved in commercial activities. On June 4, 2005, the Civil Aviation Administration of China approved the relaunch of the airline, now with Shanghai Airlines holding 80 percent of the stake, as well as China Aviation Supplies Holding Company as a secondary shareholder. Even though China United Airlines has since then lost its military status, it is uniquely still permitted to use military air bases as destinations, in contrast to other Chinese airlines and other airlines in general.

In 2000, China United Airlines spent US$120 million to buy a Boeing 767-300ER, which was previously ordered by Delta, as Jiang Zemin's private jet. Several days before its first flight, covert listening devices were found installed in the toilet, corridor, and even in Jiang's headboard. The devices were believed to be controlled and monitored by satellite. The Central Intelligence Agency, the United States Embassy in China, and China United Airlines refused to comment on this incident.[3][4] The specific aircraft was sold to Air China, and later to the Sunday Airlines of Kazakhstan.

China United Airlines was acquired by China Eastern Airlines in October 2010.[5]

With the opening of the Beijing Daxing International Airport on 26 September 2019, China United Airlines began service at the new airport as its main hub and ceased service from Beijing Nanyuan Airport, which was its main operating base for 35 years.[6][7]

Corporate

The headquarters is on the grounds of Beijing Daxing International Airport in Daxing, Beijing.[8] Previously the headquarters were in Fengtai.[9][10] The customer service center is in Xinhua, Shijiazhuang, Hebei.[11]

Destinations

China

Japan

Fleet

A China United Airlines Boeing 737-800 at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

As of December 2023, China United Airlines operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet composed of the following aircraft:[12]

China United Airlines fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
Boeing 737-700 5 — 144
Boeing 737-800 52 — 186
Total 57 —

The airline previously operated the following aircraft:

China United Airlines retired fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
Airbus A319-100 3 2012 2015 Transferred to People's Liberation Army Air Force.
Hawker Siddeley Trident 10 1986 1993
Tupolev Tu-154M 11 1986 2011 Transferred to People's Liberation Army Air Force.

Special liveries

China United Airlines has a total of 7 special livery aircraft in service, all of which are named after cities in China:

  • B-5448 (Boeing 737-800) – named and decorated after Huangguoshu Waterfall, Anshun, Guizhou[13]
  • B-5665 (Boeing 737-800) – named and decorated after Baotou, Inner Mongolia[14]
  • B-5470 (Boeing 737-800) – named and decorated after Rizhao, Shandong[15]
  • B-7561 (Boeing 737-800) – named and decorated after Xingyi, Guizhou[16]
  • B-5471 (Boeing 737-800) – named and decorated after Qingyang, Gansu[17]
  • B-1750 (Boeing 737-800) – named and decorated after Lianyungang, Jiangsu[18]
  • B-7371 (Boeing 737-800) – named and decorated after Wuhu, Anhui
  • China United Airlines Special Liveries
  • A Boeing 737-800 (B-5448) in Anshun Huangguoshu Waterfalls livery.
    A Boeing 737-800 (B-5448) in Anshun Huangguoshu Waterfalls livery.
  • A Boeing 737-800 (B-5665) in Create a Dream - Baotou livery.
    A Boeing 737-800 (B-5665) in Create a Dream - Baotou livery.
  • A Boeing 737-800 (B-5470) in Fantasy Ocean Rizhao livery.
    A Boeing 737-800 (B-5470) in Fantasy Ocean Rizhao livery.
  • A Boeing 737-800 (B-7561) in Xingyi Million Peak Forest livery.
    A Boeing 737-800 (B-7561) in Xingyi Million Peak Forest livery.
  • A Boeing 737-800 (B-1750) in Lianyungang - Flower and Fruit Hill livery.
    A Boeing 737-800 (B-1750) in Lianyungang - Flower and Fruit Hill livery.
  • A Boeing 737-800 (B-7371) in Happy Wuhu livery.
    A Boeing 737-800 (B-7371) in Happy Wuhu livery.

References

  1. ^ "China United Airlines on ch-aviation.com". ch-aviation.com. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  2. ^ "China Eastern Airlines turns Beijing unit into budget carrier". Yahoo News Singapore. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  3. ^ BBC:江泽民专机险遭窃听. BBC Chinese (in Simplified Chinese). 19 January 2002.
  4. ^ China finds spy bugs in Jiang's Boeing jet by Damien McElroy and David Wastell; The Daily Telegraph
  5. ^ 关于联航 [About United Airlines] (in Chinese). China United Airlines. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  6. ^ 中国联合航空将于2019年9月26日整体搬迁至北京大兴国际机场运行。原北京南苑机场始发及到达的所有航班均改至北京大兴国际机场。已购买2019年9月26日（含）以后客票的旅客，将在北京大兴国际机场出发或到达。请您仔细查看出行日期，以免影响您的行程。. China United Airlines (in Chinese (China)).
  7. ^ 再见百年南苑，南苑机场正式结束民航运营 (in Chinese (China)). 2019-09-25. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  8. ^ "联系我们". China United Airlines. Retrieved 2022-03-29. 办公地址：北京市大兴区大兴国际机场东航基地A2
  9. ^ 联系我们. China United Airlines. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012. 北京市丰台区警备东路６号西区一号院
  10. ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 1–7 April 1998. 57. "No 14 Xisanhuan Nanlu, Beijing, 100073, China" (making it 西三环南路14号)
  11. ^ "客户服务热线". China United Airlines. Retrieved 2022-03-29. 通信地址 河北省石家庄市新华区友谊北大街369号 中联航客户服务中心（收）邮编：050061
  12. ^ "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World. October 2019: 11.
  13. ^ 首架国画涂装“安顺黄果树号”航班首航. Xinhua News Agency (in Chinese (China)). 2015-10-01. Archived from the original on 2019-10-11. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  14. ^ 中联航包头号亮相系全球首架唐艺屏风画涂装 (in Chinese (China)). NetEase Aviation. 2016-10-29. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  15. ^ 中国联航“日照号”亮相 被赞彩绘飞机“扛把子”. Civil Aviation Resource Net of China (in Chinese (China)). 2017-10-12. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  16. ^ 中联航“兴义号”城市主题彩绘机揭开面纱. Civil Aviation Resource Net of China (in Chinese (China)). 2018-07-31. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  17. ^ 东航云南机务喷涂中联航“庆阳号”获2019全球经典彩绘飞机十强榜魁. CAAC News (in Chinese (China)). 2019-02-15. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  18. ^ 腾云驾雾！刚刚，全球首架西游主题彩绘客机“连云港号”首航！. Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation (in Chinese (China)). 2019-09-08. Retrieved 2019-10-11.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to China United Airlines.
  • Official website (in Chinese)
    • English about page (in Chinese)/(in English)
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