MIAT Mongolian Airlines

Miat Mongolian Airlines

IATA OM ICAO MGL Callsign MONGOL AIR
Founded	1954
Hubs	Chinggis Khaan International Airport (ULN)
Frequent-flyer program	Blue Sky Mongolia
Fleet size	4
Destinations	8
Headquarters	Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Key people	Ts. Orkhon (CEO)
Website	www.miat.com

For the smaller airline, see Mongolian Airlines

MIAT Mongolian Airlines (Mongolian: Монголын Иргэний Агаарын Тээвэр, Mongolyn Irgenii Agaaryn Teever (MIAT), Mongolian Civil Air Transport) is Mongolia's national airline, headquartered in the MIAT Building in Ulaanbataar, the capital. The airline operates international scheduled services from its base at Chinggis Khaan International Airport near Ulaanbaatar.

History

A MIAT Mongolian Airlines Boeing 767-300 at Berlin Tegel Airport (2011).

Communist era

MIAT Mongolian Airlines was formed in 1956. It started with the help of Aeroflot and began flights on 7 July 1956 using an Antonov An-2 from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk, although the airline also used Soviet-built DC-3s (Li-2s) for flights to international destinations like Beijing and Moscow. During the 1960s and 1970s the airline equipped with Antonov An-24 and An-26 twin turboprops. Tupolev Tu-154 jets were introduced in the late 1970s. In 1987, MIAT began international flights.

After Democratic Revolution

In 1992, MIAT bought five Chinese Harbin Y-12 commuter airliners. Also by 1992, MIAT had acquired a Boeing 727-200 jet from Korean Air with one more following in 1994. An Airbus A310 was acquired in 1998, and a Boeing 737 was acquired in 2003 to replace the aging Boeing 727-200 aircraft. From 2003 through 2008 MIAT's Antonov 24 and Antonov 26 aircraft were gradually retired due to their age and the increasing costs to maintain them. In April 2008, Miat received its second Boeing 737-800 aircraft on lease from CIT Aerospace. In July 2008, MIAT stopped domestic flights completely. In June 2009, the airline temporarily resumed domestic flights to Mörön and Khovd with its Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

In late 2009, MIAT flew charter flights to Hong Kong and Sanya, a city in Hainan. In June 2010, the airline's flights were brought to a halt due to a mechanics' strike. However, the circumstances were resolved by replacing the CEO and Technical Director.

In early 2011, MIAT signed an agreement with Air Lease to lease two former China Eastern Airlines Boeing 767-300ER until 2013. The first aircraft entered service in May 2011 and the second is expected to enter service in November 2011. In 2011 the only Airbus A310-300 of MIAT Mongolian Airlines was retired after serving for MIAT Mongolian Airlines for 13 years.

In June 2011, MIAT began regular flights to Hong Kong. The company also ordered three planes, a Boeing 767-300ER and two Boeing 737-800, to be delivered in 2013 and 2016 respectively. The order for the Boeing 737 marks the first time in more than two decades that MIAT will extend its fleet by buying new Boeing airplanes rather than leasing them.

Destinations

Main article: MIAT Mongolian Airlines destinations

Codeshare agreements

MIAT Mongolian Airlines has the following codeshares (at March 2010):

• Aeroflot (SkyTeam)
• Korean Air (SkyTeam)

Fleet

A MIAT Mongolian Airlines Boeing 737-800 named "Khubelai Khaan" just after pushback at Berlin Tegel Airport, Germany. (2008)

A Mongolian Airlines Boeing 727 in old livery.

As of October 2011, the MIAT Mongolian Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 14.3 years:

MIAT Mongolian Airlines Fleet

Aircraft	In Service	Orders	Passengers			Routes	Notes
			C	Y	Total
Boeing 737-800	2	3	12	150	162	Domestic, Asia	Named "Khubelai Khaan" EI-CXV and "Ogedei Khaan" EI-CSG Deliveries in 2014 and 2016
Boeing 767-300ER	2	1	18	245	263	Asia, Europe	leased from Air Lease JU-1011, JU-1012
Total	4	4

Previously Operated

A MIAT Mongolian Airlines Antonov An-26, now retired, parked at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, Mongolia. (2007)

A MIAT Mongolian Airlines Airbus A310-300 named "Chinggis Khaan" taxiing at Berlin Tegel Airport, Germany. (2008)

MIAT has operated a variety of aircraft types, including:

• Airbus A310-300 JU-1010 retired in 2011
• Airbus A330-343X (Leased from Saga Airlines for the summer of 2010)
• Antonov An-2 (a.k.a. Tsartsaa Nogoon Ongots, "Grasshopper green plane")
• Antonov An-24 (a.k.a. Tsagaan Ongots, "white plane")
• Antonov An-26
• Antonov An-30
• Boeing 727-200
• Harbin Y12
• Ilyushin Il-14
• Kamov Ka-26
• Mil Mi-4
• Mil Mi-8
• Polikarpov Po-2
• Tupolev Tu-154
• Yakovlev Yak-12

Accidents and incidents

MIAT Mongolian Airlines has suffered the following incidents and accidents since commencing operations:

• On 4 August 1963, an Ilyushin Il-14 crashed into the side of Mount Otgon Tenger in Mongolia killing all onboard.
• On 17 September 1973, an Antonov 24B crashed into the side of a mountain in the Hovd Province of Mongolia during approach killing all onboard.
• On 26 January 1990, an Antonov 24RV crashed into terrain near Zavkhan, Mongolia at night. All 30 passengers and crew died.
• On 23 April 1993, an Antonov 26 flying from Buyant Ukhaa Airport, Ulan Bator crashed into the side of Marz Mountain during descent into Ölgii Airport, Mongolia. All 26 passengers and 6 crew died.
• On 21 September 1995, an Antonov 24RV flying from Buyant Ukhaa Airport, Ulan Bator crashed into a mountain during approach into Mörön Airport, Mongolia. 36 of 37 passengers and all 6 crew died.
• On 10 June 1997, a Harbin Y-12 crashed after encountering windshear whilst landing at Mandalgobi Airport, Mongolia. Onboard was 2 crew members and 10 passengers, 7 passengers died.
• On 26 May 1998, a Harbin Y-12 crashed into a mountain near Erdenet, Mongolia shortly after departure from Erdenet Airport, all 26 passengers and 2 crew died. Twelve of the 26 passengers were children and 14 were adults.

See also

• Mongolian People's Air Force
• Mongolian Air Force

External links

• Official website
• Air Mongolia – the “do it yourself” airline. WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks cable:88BEIJING25961. http://wikileaks.org/cable/1988/09/88BEIJING25961.html#par1. 
  In 1988, staff of the United States’ embassy in Beijing encounter difficulties when they try to use the new connection between Beijing and Ulan Bator.