Aviation History
Myanmar's aviation history began with Union of Burma Airways in 1948, renamed Myanma Airways and later Myanmar National Airlines (2014); the sector was long constrained by military-era isolation, including a complete withdrawal from international routes between 1993 and 2015. Since the February 2021 military coup, Myanmar's civil aviation sector has faced renewed international sanctions, fuel shortages tied to the conflict, and heightened safety-oversight scrutiny that has limited several carriers' access to Western airspace — a situation that remains unsettled and should be treated as subject to change rather than fixed fact.
Established 15 September 1948 shortly after Myanmar's (then Burma's) independence, as the country's first national carrier.
The state carrier was renamed Burma Airways in December 1972.
Following the country's official renaming from Burma to Myanmar, the airline became Myanma Airways on 1 April 1989.
Amid the country's political isolation, the flag carrier withdrew entirely from international flying.
The carrier rebranded as Myanmar National Airlines in December 2014 and signed a roughly $960 million order with GECAS for Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX aircraft, the largest aircraft deal in Myanmar aviation history at the time.
Myanmar National Airlines relaunched international flying, beginning with a Singapore route, ending a 23-year absence from overseas routes.
The February 2021 military takeover triggered new international sanctions and fuel-supply constraints affecting Myanmar's airlines; the scope and duration of related restrictions on the sector have continued to evolve and should not be treated as settled.
In September 2022 a Myanmar National Airlines ATR 72 was struck by gunfire from the ground while landing at Loikaw during the country's escalating civil conflict, injuring a passenger.
Myanmar National Airlines · Myanmar Airways International · Air KBZ (domestic)
Wikipedia, Simple Flying, Justice For Myanmar reporting; post-2021 details reflect an evolving, sanctions-affected situation and should be verified against current sources before publication