China Southwest Airlines
| Company type | Commercial airline |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | October 15, 1987 in Chengdu, Sichuan, China |
| Defunct | October 28, 2002 |
| Fate | Merged into Air China |
| Headquarters | Shuangliu, Chengdu , China |
Area served | Domestic and international (Asia) |
| Products | Passenger and cargo air transport |
China Southwest Airlines () was a commercial airline based in Shuangliu, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, operating from its inception in 1987 until its integration into Air China in 2002.
History
Founded on 15 October 1987, China Southwest Airlines became a member of the International Air Transport Association in April 1996 and had joined the Multilateral & Bilateral Interline Traffic Agreements by March 1997. In the year 2000, the airline carried 50.5 million passengers along with 130 tonnes of freight. The company was absorbed into Air China on 28 October 2002.
Destinations
The airline’s main operational base was Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, complemented by a secondary hub at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. Until 2002, it was the exclusive operator serving Lhasa Gonggar Airport. While the majority of flights originated domestically from Chengdu and Chongqing, the airline also maintained international routes to cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Osaka, and Seoul.
Below is a partial compilation of destinations served:
|- Japan |- Nagoya - Komaki Airport |- Osaka - Itami and Kansai International Airports |- Malaysia |- Kuala Lumpur - Kuala Lumpur International and Subang Airports |- Nepal - Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport |- Singapore - Changi Airport |- South Korea - Seoul Gimpo and Incheon Airports |- Thailand - Bangkok Don Mueang and Chiang Mai Airports |-
Final fleet
When the merger took place, China Southwest Airlines maintained a fleet comprising 40 aircraft:
| Aircraft | Quantity in Service | Pending Orders | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A340-300 | 3 | — | ||
| Boeing 737-300 | 14 | — | ||
| Boeing 737-600 | 4 | — | ||
| Boeing 737-800 | 6 | — | ||
| Boeing 757-200 | 13 | — | ||
| Total | 40 | — | ||
Fleet history
Throughout its operational years, China Southwest Airlines' fleet featured a mix of Boeing and Airbus aircraft as well as Soviet-built models including the Ilyushin Il-18D, Tupolev Tu-154, and Boeing 707. The carrier gradually retired older planes during its modernization efforts.
| Aircraft | Total Number | Year Introduced | Year Retired | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A340-300 | 5 | 1998 | 2002 | |
| Antonov An-24V | 2 | 1988 | Template:Unknown | |
| Boeing 707-320B | 3 | 1987 | 1995 | |
| Boeing 707-320C | 2 | 1987 | 1998 | |
| Boeing 737-200 | 5 | 1987 | 1991 | |
| Boeing 737-300 | 24 | 1987 | 2002 | |
| Boeing 737-500 | 1 | 1993 | 2002 | |
| Boeing 737-600 | 4 | 2001 | 2002 | |
| Boeing 737-800 | 6 | 1999 | 2002 | |
| Boeing 757-200 | 16 | 1987 | 2002 | |
| Harbin Y-12 | 2 | |||
| Tupolev Tu-154M | 5 | 1988 | 1999 | |
| "Xi'an Y-7" | "4" | "1987" | "Template:Unknown" |
Incidents and accidents
- On January 18, 1988, an Ilyushin Il-18D operating as China Southwest Airlines Flight 4146 crashed during its approach to Chongqing Baishiyi Airport, resulting in the loss of all 108 passengers and crew.
- On October 2, 1990, a hijacked Xiamen Airlines flight collided mid-air with China Southwest Airlines Flight 4305, a Boeing 707; although the hijacked aircraft crashed, no casualties occurred on the latter.
- On February 24, 1999, Flight 4509, a Tupolev Tu-154, crashed near Wenzhou Airport with no survivors. This accident led to the withdrawal of the Tu-154 from the airline’s operations.