Ulaanbataar awards $46mn in soft loans to Mongolian carriers

MIAT Mongolian Airlines eyes oneworld connect membership

Saying he wants to get "beyond codeshares," the CEO of MIAT - Mongolian Airlines (OM, Ulaanbaatar) has told CNN that the airline wants to join the Oneworld connect program.

Munkhtamir Batbayar said the limited domestic market and small fleet size made partnerships and alliances the MIAT's best avenue for growth. The airline's key existing partner airlines are oneworld members JAL - Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific. It also has existing codeshare and marketing agreements with Korean Air and Turkish Airlines.

"We are actively pursuing to get into the oneworld connect program," Batbayar said. The connect program allows airlines to provide selected alliance benefits. Program airlines need a fully-fledged oneworld member to sponsor them. The single existing connect member, Fiji Airways, is sponsored by Qantas, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and American Airlines. Batbayar is counting on the support and sponsorship of his two existing oneworld partners but says how his strategy pans out largely depends on them.

"It depends on how they are going to do...

Mongolia's MIAT adds maiden B787-9

MIAT - Mongolian Airlines (OM, Ulaanbaatar) has taken delivery of its first B787-9 on lease from AerCap and immediately deployed it into revenue service.

EI-MGL (msn 60326) is a 2019-build initially delivered to Suparna Airlines (Y8, Shanghai Hongqiao). It was retired by the Chinese carrier in mid-2022 and subsequently stored at Shanghai Pudong. It underwent maintenance at Haikou over the recent months and was ferried to Ulaanbaatar International on August 11. It entered revenue service the next day, with its first flight to Seoul Incheon.

The B787-9 is configured for up to 292 passengers, including 30 in business class, 36 in economy plus, and 226 in economy. It will be followed by sistership B-208C (msn 60322), also ex-Suparna Airlines, due for delivery in early 2024.

MIAT said the aircraft would be used on services to Seoul, Frankfurt International, and Istanbul Airport and will also be used to launch flights to the United States in the first half of 2024. Mongolia and the US finalised...

Mongolia's MIAT rejigs B787 order, eyes E-jet

Mongolia's MIAT adds wet-leased CRJ200, B767