CAAC (airline)


CAAC, formerly the People's Aviation Company of China, was the airline owned by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. It enjoyed the monopoly status in the country from 1953 to 1987, before Deng Xiaoping's reform of separation of government and enterprise.
The airline was founded on 17 July 1952, and merged into the CAAC on 9 June 1953. From 1987 until 1991, the monopoly was broken up and CAAC was split into six regional airlines, which nowadays became China's Big Three airlines: Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines.

Separation

In 1987, the State Council decided to split CAAC airline into multiple airlines in order to encourage operating efficiency and profitability. Between 1987 and 1991, six airlines were formed, each named after the geographic region of their main operating areas:
  • Air China, the flag carrier, based in Beijing, inherited the IATA and ICAO airline code of CAAC
  • China Southwest Airlines, based in Chengdu
  • China Eastern Airlines, based in Shanghai
  • China Northwest Airlines, based in Xi'an
  • China Southern Airlines, based in Guangzhou
  • China Northern Airlines, based in Shenyang
CAAC used the IATA code CA on international flights only; domestic flights were not prefixed with the airline code.
CAAC's aircraft livery featured the Chinese national flag on the vertical stabilizer, with blue stripe cheatline and Chinese version of CAAC logo on a white fuselage. Most of the livery designs, especially the blue stripe cheatline, were also used by Air China.

Destinations

In 1962, CAAC began operating international services, initially to other countries in the communist bloc, such as the Soviet Union, Mongolia, North Korea, Laos, Burma, Bangladesh, North Vietnam, and Cambodia. By the mid-1980s, CAAC had long-haul service to the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia, mainly using American Boeing aircraft, while continuing to use Soviet aircraft on routes to Eastern Europe.
This is an incomplete list of destinations served by CAAC:
CountryCityAirportNotes
AustraliaSydneySydney Airport
British Hong KongHong KongKai Tak Airport
BangladeshDhakaHazrat Shahjalal International Airport
BangladeshDhakaTejgaon Airport
BurmaMandalayMandalay Chanmyathazi Airport
BurmaYangonYangon International Airport
CambodiaPhnom PenhPhnom Penh International Airport
ChinaAksu CityAksu Hongqipo Airport
ChinaAnkangAnkang Wulipu Airport
ChinaBaoshanBaoshan Yunrui Airport
ChinaBaotouBaotou Donghe Airport
ChinaBeijingBeijing Capital International Airport
ChinaBeijingBeijing Nanyuan Airport
ChinaChangchunChangchun Dafangshen Airport
ChinaChangshaChangsha Datuopu Airport
ChinaChifeng
ChinaChengduChengdu Shuangliu International Airport
ChinaChongqingChongqing Baishiyi Airport
ChinaDalianDalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
ChinaFuzhouFuzhou Yixu Airport
ChinaGuangzhouGuangzhou Baiyun International Airport
ChinaGuilinGuilin Qifengling Airport
ChinaGuiyang
ChinaHaikouHaikou Dayingshan Airport
ChinaHailarHulunbuir Hailar Airport
ChinaHamiHami Yizhou Airport
ChinaHangzhouHangzhou Jianqiao Airport
ChinaHarbinHarbin Taiping International Airport
ChinaHefeiHefei Luogang Airport
ChinaHefeiHefei Sanlijie Airport
ChinaHohhotHohhot Baita International Airport
ChinaHotanHotan Kungang Airport
ChinaJinanJinan Zhangzhuang Airport
ChinaJiayuguan City/JiuquanJiayuguan Jiuquan Airport
ChinaKaramay
ChinaKashgarKashgar Laining International Airport
ChinaKunmingKunming Wujiaba International Airport
ChinaKuqaKuqa Airport
ChinaLanzhouGongxingdun Airport
ChinaLanzhouLanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport
ChinaLhasaLhasa Gonggar Airport
ChinaNanchangNanchang Xiangtang Airport
ChinaNanjingNanjing Dajiaochang Airport
ChinaNanningNanning Wuxu International Airport
ChinaNingboNingbo Lishe International Airport
ChinaPu'er CityPu'er Simao Airport
ChinaQingdaoQingdao Liuting International Airport
ChinaSanyaSanya Phoenix International Airport
ChinaShanghaiShanghai Hongqiao International Airport
ChinaShanghaiShanghai Longhua Airport
ChinaSharasume
ChinaShenyangShenyang Dongta Airport
ChinaTacheng
ChinaTaiyuanTaiyuan Wusu International Airport
ChinaTianjinTianjin Binhai International Airport
ChinaTongliaoTongliao Airport
ChinaÜrümqiÜrümqi Diwopu International Airport
ChinaWuhanWuhan Wangjiadun Airport
ChinaXiamenXiamen Gaoqi International Airport
ChinaXi'anXi'an Xiguan Airport
ChinaXichangXichang Qingshan Airport
ChinaXilinhotXilinhot Airport
ChinaXiningXining Lejiawan Airport
ChinaYantaiYantai Laishan Airport
ChinaYinchuanYinchuan Xihuayuan Airport
ChinaYiningYining Airport
ChinaZhanjiangZhanjiang Airport
ChinaZhaotongZhaotong Airport
ChinaZhengzhou Zhengzhou Dongjiao Airport
EthiopiaAddis AbabaAddis Ababa Bole International Airport
FranceParisCharles de Gaulle Airport
IndonesiaJakartaHalim Perdanakusuma International Airport
IndonesiaJakartaKemayoran Airport
IndonesiaJakartaSoekarno–Hatta International Airport
IraqBaghdadSaddam International Airport
JapanNagasakiNagasaki Airport
JapanOsakaItami Airport
JapanTokyoHaneda Airport
KuwaitKuwait CityKuwait International Airport
LaosVientianeWattay International Airport
MalaysiaKuala LumpurSultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport
MongoliaUlaanbaatarBuyant-Ukhaa International Airport
North KoreaPyongyangPyongyang International Airport-
North VietnamHanoiGia Lam Airport
PhilippinesManilaNinoy Aquino International Airport
PakistanKarachiJinnah International Airport
RomaniaBucharestHenri Coandă International Airport
SingaporeSingaporeChangi Airport
Soviet UnionIrkutskInternational Airport Irkutsk
Soviet UnionMoscowSheremetyevo International Airport
SwitzerlandZürichZürich Airport
ThailandBangkokDon Mueang International Airport
United Arab EmiratesSharjahSharjah International Airport
United KingdomLondonGatwick Airport
United StatesLos AngelesLos Angeles International Airport
United StatesNew York CityJohn F. Kennedy International Airport
United StatesSan FranciscoSan Francisco International Airport
West GermanyFrankfurtFrankfurt Airport
YugoslaviaBelgradeBelgrade Nikola Tesla Airport