China Northwest Airlines
| Industry | Airline |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1988 |
| Defunct | 2002 |
| Fate | Merged into China Eastern Airlines |
| Successor | China Eastern Airlines |
| Headquarters | Xi'an , People's Republic of China |
Area served | Domestic China, limited international flights to Japan |
| Products | Air transport services |
China Northwest Airlines Co., Ltd. (中国西北航空公司) was an airline based in Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China. Established in 1989, it operated until 2002 when it merged into China Eastern Airlines along with China Yunnan Airlines.
History
In 1988, the State Council divided CAAC into six separate airlines, one of which was China Northwest, headquartered in Xi'an. The airline mainly served domestic destinations, offering a limited number of international flights to Japan.
By 1996, China Northwest had taken an 80% ownership in Nanjing Airlines. In October 2000, the company entered into a letter of intent to merge with Shandong Airlines, but this plan was rejected by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. After encountering financial difficulties, China Northwest was acquired by China Eastern Airlines in 2002 and subsequently renamed China Eastern Xi Bei.
Destinations
Below is a selection of locations that were served by China Northwest Airlines:
Final fleet composition
At the point when China Northwest merged with China Eastern, its aircraft inventory consisted of:
| Aircraft type | Quantity | Pending orders |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300-600R | 3 | — |
| Airbus A310-200 | 3 | — |
| Airbus A320-200 | 15 | — |
| British Aerospace 146 | 10 | — |
| Total | 31 | — |
Historical fleet overview
During its years of service, the airline utilized the following aircraft types:
| Aircraft model | Quantity operated | Year introduced | Year retired | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300-600R | 5 | 1992 | 2002 | |
| Airbus A310-200 | 3 | 1992 | 2002 | |
| Airbus A320-200 | 15 | 1997 | 2002 | |
| British Aerospace 146 | 11 | 1989 | 2002 | |
| Ilyushin IL-18 | 1 | 1989 | 1989 | |
| Tupolev Tu-154 | 15 | 1989 | 1998 | |
| Xian Y-7 | 2 | 1992 | 1996 |
Accidents and incidents
- On July 23, 1993, China Northwest Airlines Flight 2119 crashed during its takeoff roll at Yinchuan Xihuayuan Airport, leading to 55 casualties.
- On June 6, 1994, China Northwest Airlines Flight 2303 broke apart midair on a route between Xi'an and Guangzhou, resulting in the loss of all 160 passengers and crew. This tragedy remains the deadliest aviation disaster within mainland China.