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Uni-Top Airlines

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Uni-Top Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
UW UTP UNITOP
Founded2009
Ceased operations20 November 2019
Operating basesWuhan Tianhe International Airport
Fleet size9
Destinations9
Parent companyUni-Top Industry Co. Ltd.
HeadquartersWuhan, China
Websiteunitop-air.com

Uni-Top Airlines Co. Ltd. (Chinese: 友和道通航空) was a cargo airline, based in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, China. It was a fully owned subsidiary of Uni-top Industrial Corporation from Shenzhen. The airline ceased operations on 20 November 2019 after suffering financial difficulties.[1]

History

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The establishment was started with the approval of CAAC in 2007 and the maiden flight was launched successfully in 2011. Uni-Top were due to fly from May 2009 with services to Shenzhen, Dubai, Bishkek, Almaty and Chennai but was postponed, air freight operations finally began in April 2011.[2]

In late 2013 it was announced that EADS EFW, based at Dresden Airport, Germany, will convert 4 plus 3 options ex China Eastern A300-600 beginning in September 2014. On 20 July 2015, the first A300-600 (MSN 763) made its maiden flight after conversion and was delivered on 27 July 2015.[3]

Destinations

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The airline operated out of Kunming, Wuhan and Shenzhen to domestic points as well as countries in South Asia and in Europe.

On 5 July 2015 a Uni Top 747-200F (B-2462) was commissioned by a private customer to fly 24 elephant calves, captured in the Hwange National Park, from Harare International Airport to Guangzhou Baiyun Airport where the elephants were then delivered to Chimelong Safari Park.

Fleet

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Uni-top Airlines Boeing 747-200F
Uni-top Airlines Airbus A300-600RF

As of August 2019, the Uni-top Airlines fleet consisted of the following aircraft:[9][10]

Uni-top Airlines Fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
Airbus A300-600R 1 Currently stored and to be converted into freighter
Airbus A300-600RF 6
Cargo
Boeing 747-200F 1
Cargo
Stored
Boeing 747-400BDSF 1
Cargo
[11]
Total 9

References

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  1. ^ "Chinese Cargo Airline Ceases Operations". 20 November 2019.
  2. ^ UW information
  3. ^ "China's Uni-Top takes delivery of first A300 freighter".
  4. ^ http://www.uw-air.com/en/services/index_29.html [dead link]
  5. ^ "Chinese freighter carrier Uni-top adds Liege-Wuhan service". 7 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map".
  7. ^ "Unitop Airlines connects Wuhan and Luxembourg". 17 January 2019.
  8. ^ http://www.uw-air.com/en/services/index_29.html [dead link]
  9. ^ "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World. October 2019: 11.
  10. ^ "Uni-Top Airlines Fleet Details and History".
  11. ^ "Uni-top expands in Europe with Luxembourg freighter service". Air Cargo News. 18 January 2019.
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Media related to Uni-Top Airlines at Wikimedia Commons