China Eastern Yunnan Airlines

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines (simplified Chinese: 东方航空云南公司; traditional Chinese: 東方航空雲南公司; pinyin: Dōngfāng Hángkōng Yúnnán Gōngsī), is an airline based in Kunming, Yunnan, China. It is a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, and was formerly known as China Yunnan Airlines (simplified Chinese: 中国云南航空公司; traditional Chinese: 中國雲南航空公司; pinyin: Zhōngguó Yúnnán Hángkōng Gōngsī),^[1] whose headquarters were on the property of Wujiaba Airport.^[2][3]

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines
东方航空云南公司

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines Boeing 737-800 in orange Yunnan Peacock livery
IATA ICAO Call sign MU CES CHINA EASTERN
Founded	1992; 33 years ago (1992) (as China Yunnan Airlines)
Commenced operations	2003; 22 years ago (2003) (as China Eastern Airlines Yunnan Branch) 2011; 14 years ago (2011) (as China Eastern Yunnan Airlines)
Hubs	Kunming Changshui International Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Eastern Miles
Alliance	SkyTeam (affiliate)
Fleet size	83
Destinations	88
Parent company	China Eastern Airlines
Headquarters	Kunming, Yunnan, China
Website	www.c3q.com.cn

China Yunnan Airlines

IATA ICAO Call sign 3Q CYH YUNNAN
Founded	1992 (1992)
Ceased operations	2003 (2003) (merged into China Eastern Airlines)
Hubs	Kunming Wujiaba International Airport
Headquarters	Kunming, Yunnan, China

History

Founded in 1992,^[4] the airline was based in Kunming Wujiaba International Airport in Yunnan province and operated a fleet of Bombardier CRJ-200, Boeing 737-300 and Boeing 767-300 aircraft before the merger with China Eastern Airlines. China Yunnan Airlines operated mostly domestic flights from Kunming to major Chinese cities and also provided international services to Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Laos.

In 2003, China Yunnan Airlines and China Northwest Airlines were merged into China Eastern Airlines, with Yunnan Airlines becoming its Yunnan Branch (Chinese: 中国东方航空云南分公司). All the airliners were transferred to China Eastern Airlines and now painted in parent company's livery.

From 31 March 2008 to 1 April 2008, 21 flights of Yunnan Branch returned unexpectedly due to the dissatisfaction of some pilots with the company's treatment, causing at least 1,500 passengers to be affected by the flight.^[5]

In 2011, Yunnan Branch became China Eastern Yunnan Airlines, which was co-founded by China Eastern Airlines and Yunnan Communications Investment & Constructions Group (Chinese: 云南省交通投资建设集团), with all its fleet painted in its parent company's livery with only slight modifications.

Branding and livery

China Yunnan Airlines Boeing 737-300

The livery of China Eastern Yunnan Airlines is slightly different from that of China Eastern Airlines. The aircraft livery is consistent with the traditional livery of China Eastern Airlines, but with the text "云南公司" (Yunnan Company) being added after the Chinese and English text of "China Eastern Airlines". After the transition to Kunming Changshui International Airport, China Eastern Airlines Yunnan introduced and painted their aircraft with the Orange or Purple peacock liveries, including Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A330-300.^[6]

Previously, the "Green Peacock" logo representing the former China Yunnan Airlines had been added to the front of the aircraft fuselages.^[7] Since 2014, China Eastern Yunnan Airlines has successively launched a new livery of China Eastern Airlines, and the original "Green Peacock" pattern has since been removed.

On the afternoon of 1 April 2013, China's 1000th Boeing passenger plane, registered B-5756, landed at Kunming Changshui International Airport and settled in with China Eastern Yunnan Airlines. The fuselage of the plane was painted with the purple peacock livery, and the words "1000TH BOEING AIRPLANE FOR CHINA" was specially printed on the front of the fuselage.^[8]

China Eastern Yunnan Airline's liveries

Original China Yunnan Airlines livery

Standard pre-2014 China Eastern Yunnan livery

Purple Peacock livery

Standard post-2014 China Eastern Yunnan livery

Orange Peacock livery

Fleet

Current

As of October 2024^[update], China Eastern Yunnan Airlines operates the following aircraft:^{[citation needed]}

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Notes
Boeing 737-700	34	—
Boeing 737-800	35	—
Boeing 737 MAX 8	3	—
Boeing 787-9	3	1
Total	75	1

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines current fleet

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines Boeing 737-700 in 2020 wearing the Orange Peacock livery

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines Boeing 737-800 in 2019 wearing the Orange Peacock livery

China Yunnan Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 in 2018 wearing the standard China Eastern livery

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines Boeing 787-9 in 2019 wearing the standard China Eastern livery

Former

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines and China Yunnan Airlines also previously operated the following aircraft:^{[citation needed]}

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines retired fleet

Aircraft	Total	Introduced	Retired	Notes
Airbus A330-200	3	2014	2019	Transferred to China Eastern Airlines.
Boeing 737-300	16	1992	2016
Boeing 767-300ER	3	1996	2011	One of 2 brand-new customers with Rolls-Royce RB211 engines along with British Airways. 2 aircraft currently operating for Eastern Airlines, LLC.
Bombardier CRJ200	6	2001	2016

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines former fleet

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines Airbus A330-300 in 2013

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines Boeing 737-300 in 2013

China Yunnan Airlines Boeing 767-300 in 2003

China Eastern Yunnan Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200ER in 2012

Accidents and incidents

• On 21 November 2004, China Eastern Airlines Flight 5210, a Bombardier CRJ-200LR, crashed shortly after takeoff from Baotou Airport due to wing icing, killing all 53 on board and two people on the ground.
• On 21 March 2022, China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735, operated by a Boeing 737-89P (B-1791), crashed during cruise in a dive in Teng County, killing all 132 on board.^[9]