EUROPEAN AIRLINE SCENE - WEEK ENDING 08-01-11
The information in this blog comes from a variety of sources, though particular credit must be given to the following sites, which are very highly recommended.
Chris Witt/Skyliner
http://www.skyliner-aviation.de/
Jethro/UK & Ireland Airline Fleet Listings
http://jethros.eu/
Drewski/737NG Line Number list
http://drewski2112.livejournal.com/
Welcome to the first blog of 2011 & wishing you all a belated Happy & Prosperous New Year. Apologies for the lack of a blog last week. I had intended to post one, but there was insufficient news to make it worthwhile.
ABX Air B762F N785AX (23018) left Tel Aviv en route to Cincinnati on 30/12 following freighter conversion.
Aer Lingus A321 EI-CPC (0815) was ferried from Dublin to Bordeaux on 28/12 in Ural A/L scheme for cabin refit.
Aeroflot B763 VP-BWQ (30342) has become VQ-BOG for Nordwind A/L & left Miami, FL on 27/12 on delivery to Moscow/Sheremetyevo.
Air Arabia A320 A6-ANC (4539) left Toulouse on 6/1 on delivery to Sharjah.
Air Atlanta B742 TF-ATJ (24108) left Jeddah on 3/1 for scrapping at Walnut Ridge, AR.
Air Baltic DH8D YL-BAI (4302) left Downsview on 5/1 on delivery to Vilnius.
Air Berlin A320 D-ALTC (1441) was ferried from Berlin/Tegel to Dublin on 2/1 & is due to go to Brussels A/L as OO-SNA. D-ALTD (1493) will follow as OO-SNB in April.
AirBridgeCargo former JAL Cargo B744F VQ-BJB (33749 ex JA402J, N402AL) was delivered from Paya Lebar to Hong Kong on 5/1, immediately entering service on a flight to Moscow/Sheremetyevo.
Airbus single-aisle deliveries to other customers
VT-IGZ A320 (4552) to IndiGo 27/12 (date corrects last blog)
Air India B772 VT-AIL (26935) left Beijing all white on 23/12 bound for Marana, AZ.
Air Malta A320 9H-AEN (2665) left Malta on 3/1 bound for Santiago on wet-lease to Sky A/L until March.
Air One B734 EI-COH (27001) was ferried from Naples to East Midlands on 24/12 & emerged on 1/1 in Firefly scheme before returning to Naples on 3/1. It is to become 9M-FZA (see Skyliner for photo).
Asiana has placed an order for six A388s with deliveries from 2014. The aircraft will be used on routes to Europe & the USA & this takes the A380 order book to 240 aircraft for 18 customers.
Askari Aviation L101 N164AT (1238) was noted in service on 25/12 following storage at Fujairah.
Asky A/L is to be the recipient of B737 M-ABDH (33012 ex N647AS, 4L-TGM), which was ferried from Norwich to Southend on 4/1 after painting & will become ET-AOK. This carrier is based in Togo & was set up with assistance from Ethiopian A/L & currently operates two B737s & a DH8D leased from that airline in Asky colours but retaining their Ethiopian registrations (see Skyliner for photo).
Astraeus A320 G-STRP (0136) is contracted to BA as a standby aircraft until the end of March, but may be subbed out when not required, which is why it has still been operating flights for easyJet. B733 G-STRJ (25119) will position to Southend on 9/1 for repaint for Tonle Sap A/L & will go to them on lease as XU-TSA until around the end of March.
AtlasJet A320 TC-OGJ (0676) will shortly transfer to Onur Air & already wears that carrier's tail markings. Also see under Livingston.
Aurigny. Two Trislanders that were retired from service a long while ago were finally cancelled from the UK register on 5/1. These were G-BDTN (1026), currently on the Alderney fire dump & G-PCAM (1052), which is with the Guernsey fire services.
Bahrain Air A320 A9C-BAZ (0645) was ferried from Bahrain to Istanbul on 26/12 on return to the lessor.
Blue1 MD90 OH-BLH (55060) left Miami, FL as SE-REO on 6/1 on delivery to Helsinki. OH-BLP (55064) positioned from Stockholm/Arlanda to Helsinki in Star Alliance scheme on 7/1. Also see under Spanair.
Boeing single-aisle deliveries to other customers
N76529 B738 (31652) to United A/L 29/12
VT-SGI B738 (37361) to SpiceJet 24/12
Brit Air F100 F-GPXK (11329) was ferried to Dinard on 27/12 & not on 22/12 (corrects last blog). CRJX F-HMLC (19006) arrived at Morlaix on 7/1 on delivery from Montreal.
British A/W B752 G-BPEI (25806) flew an air test from/to Gatwick on 5/1. A320 G-EUYK (4551) is due to be delivered from Toulouse to LHR on 14/1. The next three retirements are currently scheduled to be G-BUSH (0042) on 15/1, G-BUSJ (0109) at the end of October & G-BUSK (0120) at the end of June. The carrier has signed a contract with Rolls Royce for Trent 900 & 1000 engines for its forthcoming A380 & B787 fleets. Also see under Astraeus.
Brussels A/L is to add four A319s & two A320s to its fleet during the next six months. Also see under Air Berlin.
CSA B735 OK-CGH (28469) left Prague on 4/1 on delivery to Mauritania A/L as 5T-CLA.
Denim Air F50 PH-FZH (20210) was registered SE-MEI for Volito Commuter at Maastricht on 30/12 & delivered to Borlange on 5/1.
Donbassaero. See under easyJet.
EasyJet A321 G-TTIC (1869) was delivered from Shannon to Donetsk as UR-DAF for Donbassaero on 25/12 (date corrects last blog). G-TTID (2462) was noted at Shannon on 31/12 in Windrose Air scheme as UR-WRH. The carrier has placed a further order with Airbus. 15 A320 options are converted to firm orders for delivery between 2012 & 2014, 20 A319s on order are converted to A320s & options have been secured for another 33 A320s, bringing the total number of options to 42 aircraft. 25 aircraft are to be delivered in 2011, 20 in 2012, 12 in 2013 & 5 in 2014.
A320 G-EZTY (4554) arrived at Gatwick on delivery from Finkenwerder on 6/1. G-EZTZ (4556) is expected on 12/1 & the next few deliveries after that are due to be:
Jan - A320 G-EZUA (4588), G-EZUC (4591)
Feb - A319 G-EZGE (4624)
Mar - A319 G-EZGF (4635), G-EZGG (4640), A320 G-EZUD (4636), G-EZUE (4646)
Apr - A319 G-EZGH (4667), G-EZGI (4693), A320 G-EZUF (4676), G-EZUG (4680)
The last aircraft from the former GB A/W fleet, A320 G-TTOJ (2157), is currently expected to fly its final revenue service on 23/1. Also see under Astraeus.
El Al. See under Eurocypria.
Eurocypria B737 5B-DBZ (33030) has become 4X-EKT for El Al & was ferried from Tel Aviv to East Midlands on 4/1 in Eurocypria scheme for painting.
Eurowings CRJ7 D-ACSB (10028) left Dusseldorf on 5/1 on delivery to South African Express. D-ACSC (10039) was ferried from Exeter to Dusseldorf on 6/1 prior to return to Maersk.
Gestair Cargo B763F EC-LKI (26544 ex SE-DOC, LN-RCM, CC-CGN, N767FF) was noted in full TNT scheme at Maastricht on 5/1 awaiting delivery (see Skyliner for photo).
Hamburg International A319s D-AHIH (3364) & D-AHII (3403) left Sofia on 29/12 as AP-EDB & AP-EDC respectively on delivery to Air Blue at Islamabad.
Iberworld A333 EC-LEQ (1097) left Madrid on 5/1 bound for Santiago on wet-lease to Principal A/L.
Iran Aseman. See under Brit Air.
JAL Cargo B763F JA632J (35817), now N526LA with WFBN, was noted at Taipei on 5/1 in full Mas Air Cargo scheme awaiting delivery. Also see under AirBridgeCargo.
JAT B734 YU-AOS (24551), which was ferried to Kemble on 8/7 last year, was restored as N429US on 21/12.
Jet2 B738 G-GDFC (28375 ex PH-HZC) was registered on 5/1 & is presently at Amsterdam awaiting delivery. The second B738 will be registered G-GDFD & is expected to come from TUIfly & the carrier is also expected to add a B733 from Thomson A/W to its fleet.
Kolavia T154B RA-85588 (588) caught fire at Surgut on 1/1 while preparing for take-off & burnt out. There was one fatality among the 124 on board, with 34 injured & 2 reported as missing. The Russian authorities subsequently ground all T154Bs.
Livingston A321 EI-LVB (1970) was noted at Shannon on 28/12 as HL8213 in Air Busan scheme (see Skyliner for photo). EI-LVA (1950) was also noted at Shannon on 3/1 as TC-ETV in AtlasJet colours.
Malev F70 HA-LME (11575) was noted all white at Bratislava on 27/12 as 9H-AFZ for Gladiator Leasing.
Mas Air Cargo. See under JAL Cargo.
Mexicana is planning to restart operations following an investment of over $150 million by Capital PC & A319 XA-MXY (0312) was noted at Mexico two days ago being painted in a new scheme prior to the restart. Services to Europe are unlikely to feature, in the short-term at the very least, as both the A332s are now with Air Transat, one B762 is with Aeromexico & the other is stored at Victorville, CA. The two B763s, however, are currently stored at Mexico City & could possibly used if the revived carrier wished to begin transatlantic services again.
Mint A/W B752 EC-LHL (24544) left Madrid on 28/12 bound for Santiago & lease to Principal A/L, but will be based at Rosario, Argentina until March.
Moskovia. See under Transavia.
Non-Airline
F-WHUF A319CJ (4024 ex VP-CVW) registered to Airbus Industrie was ferried from interim storage at Zurich to Toulouse on 7/1.
G-CFZM B462 (E2299) of BAe Systems was ferried from Southend to Kemble on 6/1 in full Jagson A/L scheme. It is due to be delivered in March & will become VT-JJC.
N568MS A320 (3308 ex TC-TCD) of GECAS was ferried from Esenboga to Dublin on 31/12 along with N569MS (3259 ex TC-TCC), both still in full Turkuaz Air scheme.
RA-09343 An-22 (043482272) of the VTA crashed en route from Voronezh to Tver on 28/12, tragically killing all 12 on board. The Russian A/F has now grounded all An-22s.
UK32000 A320 (4528) for the Uzbekistan Government was flown from Finkenwerder to San Antonio, TX on 5/1 for cabin configuration.
9Q-CLK B707 (17702) of the Government of the Congo was noted at Miami on 2/1 in a Dreamliner-type scheme prior to redelivery.
Nordwind A/L. See under Aeroflot.
Norwegian Air Shuttle B733 LN-KKA (25033) was ferried from Oslo to Southend on 5/1 & is due to go to WebJet as PR-WJX in the near future.
Olympic A/L. The following B734s were registered to AerSale at Athens on 5/1:
SX-BKA (25313) to N353AS
SX-BKB (25314) to N134AS
SX-BKC (25361) to N761AS
SX-BKD (25362) to N362AS
SX-BKE (25417) to N741AS
SX-BKF (25430) to N304AS
SX-BKG (27149) to N148AS
Of these, N304AS/SX-BKF & N362AS/SX-BKD were ferried from Athens to Istanbul on 7/1, with the other five expected to follow shortly.
Onur Air. See under AtlasJet.
Privilege B752 EC-HDS (26252) left Madrid on 27/12 for lease to Principal A/L.
Royal Jordanian A313 JY-AGP (416) was ferried from Amman to Kemble on 3/1 for scrapping.
Ryanair B738 EI-ENM (35038) was noted on the flightline at Renton, WA on 5/1. A few more of the B738s for 2011 delivery are due to be:
EI-ENN (35036)
EI-ENO (40302)
EI-ENP (40304)
EI-ENR (35041)
EI-ENS (40307)
EI-ENT (35040)
EI-ENV (35039)
EI-ENW (40306)
EI-ENX (40305)
EI-ENY (35042)
EI-ENZ (40308)
Sky Express MD83 SX-BPP (53377) was ferried from storage at Heraklion to Istanbul on 7/1.
Spanair B712 EC-KFR (55056) was ferried from Palma to Helsinki on 16/12 on delivery to Blue1, with EC-KHX (55053) following on 19/12.
Thomson A/W B763 G-PJLO (26064) left Birmingham on 4/1 en route to Greensboro, MS for winglet fitting. Also see under Jet2.
TNT. See under Gestair Cargo.
Transavia B738 PH-HZX (28248) was noted at Amsterdam with a white tail on 28/12. It had been due to go to Moskovia as VQ-BJY, but this was cancelled. Also see under Jet2.
TUIfly. See under Jet2.
Turkuaz Air. See under Non-Airline.
Viking A/L B738 SE-RHS (28617) was noted carrying VQ-BMP at Lasham on 4/1 in full Yakutia scheme.
Volito Commuter. See under Denim Air.
Windrose Air. See under easyJet.
Yakutia A/L. See under Viking A/L.