China Eastern Yunnan Airlines

Founded in 1992, 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.

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 which includes the Yunnan title.

In 2026, China Eastern Yunnan's operating system was merged into China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited. On 29 June 2026, the Civil Aviation Administration of Southwest China revoked its Domestic Carrier Dangerous Goods Air Transport Permit. Then, on 6 July, at the request of China Eastern Yunnan, the authority revoked its CCAR-121 operating certificate and corresponding operating specifications. As a result, China Eastern Yunnan no longer operates as an independent CCAR-121 certificate holder, as its flight operations have been fully incorporated into the single operating system of its parent, China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited.

Branding and livery

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.

Previously, the "Green Peacock" logo representing the former China Yunnan Airlines had been added to the front of the aircraft fuselages. 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.

Fleet

Current

As of October 2024, China Eastern Yunnan Airlines operated the following aircraft:

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.