MIAT Mongolian Airlines is the Mongolian national airline, headquartered in the MIAT Building in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. The airline operates international scheduled services from its base at Chinggis Khaan International Airport near Ulaanbaatar.
History
Communist era
MIAT Mongolian Airlines was established in 1956. It began operations with the help of Aeroflot and began flights on 7 July 1956 using an Antonov An-2 from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk. The airline also used Soviet-built Ilyushin Il-14s for flights to international destinations like Beijing and Moscow. During the 1960s and 1970s, the airline obtained Antonov An-24 and An-26 twin turboprops. A Tupolev Tu-154 jet on lease from Aeroflot was introduced in the late 1980s.
Post-communist era
In 1992, MIAT bought five Chinese Harbin Y-12commuter aircraft and acquired a Boeing 727-200 from Korean Air, one more following in 1994. An Airbus A310 was leased in 1998, and a new Boeing 737 was leased in 2002 to replace the aging 727-200 fleet. Between 2003 and 2008, MIAT's An-24 and An-26 fleet was gradually retired. In April 2008, MIAT received its second Boeing 737-800 aircraft on lease from CIT Aerospace. In July 2008, MIAT ended scheduled domestic flights completely. In June 2009, the airline temporarily resumed scheduled domestic flights to Mörön and Khovd using its Boeing 737-800 aircraft. In late 2009, MIAT flew charter flights to Hong Kong and Sanya, a popular resort city in Hainan, China. In June 2010, the airline's flights were brought to a halt due to a mechanics' strike. However, the situation was resolved with the replacement of the CEO and Technical Director. In early 2011, MIAT signed an agreement with Air Lease Corporation to lease two former China EasternBoeing 767-300ERs until 2013. The first aircraft entered service in May 2011 with the second following in November 2011. In 2011 the Airbus A310 was retired after serving MIAT Mongolian Airlines for 13 years. In June 2011, MIAT began regular flights to Hong Kong. The company also ordered three aircraft, a Boeing 767-300ER and two Boeing 737-800s, to be delivered in 2013 and 2016 respectively. The order marks the first time in two decades that MIAT has chosen to expand its fleet by purchasing new aircraft straight from the manufacturer rather than leasing them. In January 2019, MIAT announced flights to Shanghai and Guangzhou in China to start from summer of 2019. In addition, it announced the leasing of 3 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to be delivered in January, May, and October 2019, thereby replacing two of its aircraft whose leases are due to expire in 2019, together with the implementation of a self-checkin system. In December 2019, MIAT announced to receive its first Boeing 787-9 aircraft to be delivered in 2021 Spring. On the 21st of June 2020, MIAT flew for the first time in history to the United States. With a Boeing 767-300, they flew from Ulaanbaatar to Seattle, which is the first non-stop between Mongolia and the United States in history.
Destinations
Codeshare agreements
MIAT Mongolian Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
21 September 1995: Antonov An-24RV BNMAU-10103 flying from Buyant Ukhaa Airport, Ulaanbaatar crashed into a mountain near Choho Geologoh Uul during approach into Mörön Airport, after the crew descended too soon, killing 42 of 43 on board in Mongolia's worst air disaster.
10 June 1997: Harbin Y-12 JU-1020 crashed after encountering windshear whilst landing at Mandalgobi Airport, killing seven of 12 on board.
26 May 1998: Harbin Y-12 JU-1017 crashed into a mountain near Erdenet due to possible overloading, killing all 17 passengers and crew on board.
