Harman Patil (Editor)

Myanmar National Airlines

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UBA
  
UNIONAIR

Destinations
  
31

Headquarters
  
Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

Fleet size
  
22 (+7 on order)

Frequent-flyer program
  
MNA Club

Company slogan
  
Journey of a Lifetime

Founded
  
1948

Myanmar National Airlines wwwchaviationcomportalstock2983jpg

Parent company
  
Ministry of Transport and Communications

Subsidiaries
  
Myanmar Airways International, Air Mandalay, Yangon Airways

Profiles

Myanmar national airlines embraer 190 xy agq rgn nyu on 2 december 2015


Myanmar National Airlines (Burmese: မြန်မာအမျိုးသား လေကြောင်းလိုင်း), formerly Union of Burma Airways, Burma Airways, and Myanma Airways, is a state-owned airline and the flag carrier of Myanmar, based in Yangon. It operates scheduled services to all major domestic destinations and to regional destinations in Asia. Its main base is Yangon International Airport. Founded in 1948, it is one of the second oldest airlines in Asia after Malaysia Airlines.

Contents

Boeing myanmar national airlines celebrate first next generation 737 800 delivery


History

The airline was founded by the government after independence on 15 September 1948, as the Union of Burma Airways (UBA). It initially operated domestic services only, and international services were added in 1950. The name was changed to Burma Airways in December 1972, and to Myanma Airways on 1 April 1989 following the renaming of the country from Burma to Myanmar. International services of Myanma Airways have been made as joint venture airline, Myanmar Airways International (MAI). Myanmar National Airlines is the majority shareholder of Joint Venture Company MAI, set up in 1993. In 2003, it was proposed to set up a Myanmar-based airline for chartered international passenger and cargo flights, which was planned to be called Air Myanmar. What would have been a joint-venture between Myanma Airways and private investors was abandoned in 2005.

In mid-2012, Myanma Airways ordered to lease two new Embraer 190AR from GE Civil Aviation Services Co.Ltd, that replaced its Fokker F-28 from November 2012. On February 11, 2014, at the Singapore Airshow, Myanma Airways signed a $960 million deal with GECAS for six Boeing 737-800s and four Boeing 737 MAX planes. The deal is the largest commercial sale by a U.S. company to Myanmar in decades and is the largest single aircraft order in the history of Myanmar's aviation industry.

In December 2014, Myanma Airways re-branded itself as Myanmar National Airlines.

Following the arrival of its first Boeing 737-800 in June 2015, Myanmar National Airlines announced the resumption of international services after a 22-year hiatus to Singapore, Hong Kong and Taipei. International services resumed with the inaugural flight to Singapore on 19 August 2015. Myanmar National Airlines then launched its second international service to Hong Kong on 4 December 2015 following the arrival of its second Boeing 737-800.

Destinations

As of March 2017, Myanmar National Airlines flies to the following destinations:

Fleet

The following aircraft (as of October 2016):

Mingalarbar Service

Beginning in 2015 following the resumption of international services, Myanmar National Airlines has launched its "MIngalarbar Service" to its passengers. The service is complimentary for Business Class passengers and to Premium Economy and Economy passengers for an extra fee. Services include amenities such as Fast Track Immigration and Security,assistance on arrival, limo service to and from Yangon International Airport, priority check-in and access to Mingalabar lounges in both the international and domestic terminals of Yangon International Airport.

Cabin

Myanmar National Airlines has been introducing new cabin interiors and in-flight entertainment since June 2015 on their new fleet of Boeing 737-800 and ATR 72-600 aircraft.

Business class

Business Class is only available on the new Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The Business Class seats have 21 in (53 cm) width and recline to 42 in (107 cm) of pitch and feature electrical outlet and leg rest. A 9 in (23 cm) PTV is located in the seatrest offers AVOD.

Premium Economy class

Premium Economy is available on the Embraer 190 and new Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The seat pitch is 36 inches – four inches more than Economy Class and have a bigger recline. In-seat power outlet and streaming inflight entertainment is offered only on the Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Economy class

Economy class is offered on all of MNA's aircraft. The Economy Class seats are 17.2 in (44 cm) in width on the Boeing 737-800 and 18 in (46 cm) on Embraer 190 aircraft with 32 in (81 cm) of pitch, while the ATR 72, Beech 1900 and Grand Caravan offer 17 in (43 cm) in width and a seat pitch between 30-32 inches. In-seat power outlet and streaming inflight entertainment is offered only on the Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Inflight Entertainment

Myanmar National Airlines offers streaming inflight entertainment called airstreamUB on its Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Passengers will be able to watch movies, TV shows and listen to music via in-seat monitors, or on their own smartphone, tablet (iOS or Android), or laptop over a wireless connection on board the aircraft. airstreamUB is available free of charge. Customers travelling in business class also have the option to access airstreamUB on the in arm monitor fitted in their seat.

Union of Burma Airways

  • On 26 June 1954, Douglas DC-3 was hijacked by members of the Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO, later the Karen National Liberation Army). After the killing of Saw Ba U Gyi in 1950, the first president of the Karen National Union (KNU), the group sought to regain both a political initiative and financial leverage. Three KNDO members - Major Saw Kyaw Aye, Captain Thein Kyaw and Captain A Nyein - planned to hijack a plane, and use it to smuggle illegal weapons. They successfully hijacked the plane, and forced its British pilot Captain A.E. Hare to land on a deserted beach, after other group members had failed to build a suitable temporary runway in Karen. Finding 700,000 Burmese kyat in metal chests in the cargo, cash being transported between bank branches, they confiscated this and then let the plane take off. Censorship banned reporting of the story for over 50 years, but in April 2014 it was the subject of the book The World's First Hijacking, and is being developed into a Hollywood-produced film under the same title.
  • Burma Airways

    The former Burma Airways had a poor safety record but now, as Myanma Airways is strongly maintaining its safety under ICAO and Myanmar DCA regulations and requirements:

  • On 23 May 1969, Douglas DC-3 XY-ACR crashed on approach to Lashio Airport killing all six people on board. The aircraft was operating a domestic non-scheduled passenger flight.
  • On 16 August 1972, a Douglas C-47B, registration XY-ACM, crashed shortly after take-off from Thandwe Airport on a scheduled passenger flight. Twenty-eight people on board were killed and only 3 survived.
  • On 24 August 1972, Vickers Viscount XY-ADF of Union of Burma Airways was damaged beyond economic repair at Sittwe Airport when it departed the runway on landing and the undercarriage collapsed.
  • On the morning of Saturday, 25 March 1978, a Burma Airways Fokker F-27 Friendship 200 lost height and crashed into a paddy field shortly after take-off from Yangon-Mingaladon Airport, killing all 48 people on board.
  • On Thursday, 24 January 1980, a Burma Airways Fairchild FH-227B struck the roof of a tobacco factory and crashed following an apparent engine failure in mid-air, killing 43 people. One person survived the crash.
  • On 21 June 1987, a Burma Airways Fokker F-27 Friendship 200 slammed into a 8200 feet mountain shortly after take-off from Heho Airport, killing all 45 people on board.
  • On Sunday, 11 October 1987, a Burma Airways Fokker F-27 Friendship 500 crashed into a 1500 feet high mountain, killing all 49 people on board in Myanmar's deadliest air disaster. 36 foreigners, 14 of them Americans, seven Swiss citizens, five Britons, four Australians, three West Germans, two French citizens and one Thai were among the dead.
  • Myanma Airways

  • On 27 January 1998, a Myanma Airways Fokker F27 crashed while taking off from Yangon, Myanmar, killing 16 of the 45 people on board.
  • On 24 August 1998, Myanma Airways Flight 635 crashed into a hill on approach to Tachilek Airport killing all 36 on board.
  • On 6 June 2009, Myanma Airways Flight 409, Fokker F28-4000, registration XY-ADW, overran the runway at Sittwe Airport. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
  • Myanmar National Airlines

  • On 16 November 2016, Myanmar National Airline Flight UB 241, Cessna Caravan, tire flat when landing at the Myan Aung Airport. No one is injured in this accident.
  • References

    Myanmar National Airlines Wikipedia