EUROPEAN AIRLINE SCENE - WEEK ENDING 28-01-12
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://www.jethros.org.uk/
Puget Sound - Boeing test Flights
http://boeing-test-flights.blogspot.com/
ABX Air B762F N702AX (22566) was ferried from Tel Aviv to Liege on 26/1 following freighter conversion & is due for Atlas Air as N650GT.
Adria A320 S5-AAT (0191) was ferried from Ljubljana to Lourdes on 26/1 for further storage.
Aer Lingus A319 EI-EPS (3377) was delivered from Madrid to Shannon on 27/1.
Air Berlin A320 D-ABFZ (4988) made its first flight on 23/1 as D-AVVT.
Airbus single-aisle deliveries to other customers
B-6846 A320 (4985) to Air China 21/1
B-6857 A320 (5002) to Shenzhen A/L 23/1
HS-ABW A320 (4980) to Thai Air Asia 24/1
RP-C8191 A320 (4989) to Air Asia Philippines 26/1
RP-C8396 A320 (5007) to AirPhil Express 26/1
Air Canada B763 C-GHPF (26206) was registered 8Q-MEH at Vancouver on 19/1 prior to delivery to Mega Global Air Services the same day.
Air China B763s B-2557 (25875) & B-2558 (25876) were registered to WFBN on 20/1 as N332MP & N330MP respectively & left Beijing on 26/1 en route to Tupelo, MS for scrapping.
Air Greenland DH8B OY-GRK (498 ex N354PH, C-GLUZ) was registered on 24/1 for delivery from North Bay.
Air India B788 VT-ANH (36276) made its first flight on 25/1 as N1015B.
Alitalia has tentatively agreed to merge with Blue Panorama & Wind Jet.
Alitalia Express E170 EI-DFI (17000010) was ferried from Rome/Fiumicino to Exeter on 20/1 for preparation for Regional A/L.
Armavia A320 EK32006 (0772 ex B-2360, M-ABCQ), which was recently registered M-ABEM was reregistered N13SB for Intertrade Ltd at Southend on 26/1.
Atlas Air. See under ABX Air.
AtlasJet. The carrier is to lease former Kingfisher A320s OE-IBD (2747 ex VT-DKS) & OE-IBE (2753 ex VT-DKT). Also see under MEA.
ATR deliveries to other customers
PR-TKK AT72 (987) to TRIP Linhas Aereas 20/1
Blue Panorama. See under Alitalia.
Boeing single-aisle deliveries to other customers
HL8242 B738 (38824) to Korean Air 23/1
JA340J B738 (39190) to JAL 25/1
N536AS B738 (35203) to Alaska A/L 23/1
N38446 B739 (31661) to United A/L 20/1
PK-LJK B739 (38311) to Lion Air 26/1
VH-YIF B738 (38710) to Virgin Australia 25/1
Brussels A/L B462 OO-DJS (E2292) was ferried from Brussels to Southend on 24/1 on return to the lessor. OO-DJO (E2279) was ferried from storage at Bacau to Southend on 25/1. OO-MJE (E2192) has been put back into service following a period of storage.
China Eastern A332 B-6545 (1291) made its first flight on 24/1 as F-WWYB.
Cirrus A/L ceased operations on 20/1 following failed merger talks with SkyWork A/L. E170 D-ALIE (17000059) is now stored at Girona.
CityJet B462 EI-RJK (E2348) is to go to LAMIA of Venezuela & was noted in full scheme at Norwich on 19/1. Other B462s being disposed of to the same carrier are EI-RJL (E2349), EI-RJM (E2350) & EI-RJV (E2370).
Czech Connect A/L has filed for bankruptcy & suspended operations until late March. B733 OK-CCA (29058) was ferried from Karlovy Vary to Prague on 24/1 for interim storage & B734 OK-CCB (24813) from Brno to Montpellier on 23/1 on return to the lessor.
Eastern A/W DH8C G-WOWE (256) left Aberdeen on 24/1 en route to Canada on return to the lessor.
EasyJet A319 G-EZEU (2283) was cancelled from the register on 24/1 & registered CC-AFX at Southend the same day prior to delivery to Sky A/L. A320 G-EZTW (4250) was ferried from Gatwick to Geneva on 25/1 & cancelled from the register on 26/1. It has been transferred to easyJet Switzerland & entered service on 27/1 as HB-JYA. G-EZUL (5019) & G-EZUM (5020) are due for delivery to Gatwick on 30/1 & 31/1 respectively. Both are expected to remain based at Gatwick until 15/2 at least.
Emirates B773 A6-EGM (41073) left Paine Field on 24/1 on delivery to Dubai. Two A332s are being advertised for sale by Airbus - A6-EAA (348) from December & A6-EKZ (345) from October.
Estonian Air B733 ES-ABJ (28873) was ferried from Tallinn to Eindhoven on 21/1 for painting all white (prior to leaving the fleet?). In a surprise move, it seems that the carrier is to replace its CRJ9s with E190s. The airline had apparently been negotiating with Bombardier for a further three CRJ9s, but price became a sticking point hence the switch to Embraer. The rumour is that, as a stopgap, it will lease three E170s from an undisclosed European airline prior to obtaining three new E190s direct from the manufacturer.
Ethiopian A/L has sold its five F50s to Fortran Aviation who in turn have sold them to Indonesian start-up Pacific-Royale.
Etihad A/W B773 A6-ETI (39684) left Paine Field on 23/1 on delivery to Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Crystal Cargo has ordered a further two A332Fs.
Finncomm A/L AT42 OH-ATA (641) has become VQ-BPE for Taimyr A/L & was delivered from Helsinki to Moscow/Domodedovo on 26/1.
FreeBird A/L. The proposed leases of A320s TC-FBH (4027) & TC-FBV (4658) to PIA have been cancelled.
Hong Kong A/L A332 B-LNJ (1277) left Toulouse on 20/1 on delivery to Hong Kong. B-LNK (1286) made its first flight on 26/1 as F-WWYH.
Iberia is to dispose of several aircraft in the next year or so & Airbus is advertising the following for sale or lease:
EC-JSB A320 (2776) from May 2013
EC-KHJ A320 (2347) from January 2013
EC-IIG A321 (1554) from March 2013 (sale only)
EC-HDQ A343 (302) from March 2012
EC-HGU A343 (318) from June 2012
EC-HGX A343 (332) from June 2012
EC-GPB A343 (193) from December 2012
EC-LHM A343 (387) from April 2013
Izmir A/L A320 TC-IZA (2118) was ferried from Istanbul/Sabiha Gokcen to Southend on 24/1 on return to the lessor.
Jet2. See under Thomson A/W.
LOT B735 SP-LKD, currently stored at Lasham, was registered to WFBN as N587SC back on 19/12. Also see under THY.
Lufthansa B744 D-ABVA (23816) left Frankfurt on 24/1 heading for Tupelo RAP, MS & an appointment with the scrapman.
Lufthansa Cityline CRJ2 D-ACLL (7024) was registered to Clarks Summit LLC as N42WA on 25/1 & is currently parked at North Bay.
Martinair MD11F PH-MCY (48445) has been put into storage at Amsterdam.
MAS A333 9M-MTF (1281) left Toulouse on 23/1 on delivery to Kuala Lumpur.
MAS Kargo A332F 9M-MUC (1164) was delivered from Toulouse to Amsterdam on 26/1.
MEA A321 F-ORMF (1953) has become TC-ATH & was noted all white for AtlasJet at Istanbul/Ataturk on 22/1.
Mega Global Air Services. See under Air Canada.
Monarch. See under Thomson A/W.
Non-Airline
EI-ELD A320 (1918) of ACQ Acquisitions was ferried from Shannon to Southend on 26/1
MM62228 B762 (33688) left McConnell AFB, KS on 19/1 on delivery to the AMI at Pratica Di Mare AB.
Norwegian has placed an order with Boeing for 100 B737Max & 22 B738s & has also signed a MoU with Airbus for 100 A320neo. This massive deal also includes purchase rights for a further 100 B737Max & 50 A320neo. B733 LN-KKC (25615) flew its last revenue service on 23/11 & has been in store at Oslo until ferrying to Belgrade 26/1.
Omni Air International has withdrawn DC10s N531AX (48316) & N621AX (48319) from service.
Pegasus B738 TC-CPA (40725) made its first flight on 21/1. TC-AZP (38176) arrived at Istanbul/Sabiha Gokcen on delivery on 24/1.
Qatar A/W A320 A7-AHS (5010) made its first flight on 26/1 as F-WWDX.
Regional A/L. See under Alitalia Express.
Rossiya has taken delivery of T204 RA-64058 (64058).
Ryanair B738 EI-EVD (40287) made its first flight on 21/1.
SAS is to acquire B737s SE-RER (30736 ex N361ML, G-STRC, B-5063, N341MS) & SE-RES (30737 ex N362ML, G-STRD, B-5064, N343MS) in April. New B738s on order for delivery this year are LN-RGA (39397), LN-RGB (38034), LN-RGC (41257), LN-RGD (41258), LN-RGE (38037), LN-RGF (38038), LN-RGG (38039), LN-RGH (41266) & LN-RGI (35646).
Saudi Arabian B773s HZ-AK11 (41048) & HZ-AK12 (41050) left Paine Field on 24/1 on delivery to Jeddah. These are the first two B773s for the carrier, who has been revealed as the undisclosed customer who had ordered a further eight B773s last year.
Thomson A/W B738 G-TAWB (37242) made its first flight on 22/1. G-TAWA (37264) is due to be delivered to Gatwick on 31/1. G-CDZI (28229) flew its last revenue service on 19/1 & was ferried from Luton to Shannon on 25/1 for painting for Jet2. Three A320s have been retired:
G-OOPP (1571) last revenue service 15/12
G-OOPT (1605) last revenue service 22/1
G-OOPU (1637) last revenue service 6/1
All three are parked at Manchester & G-OOPP & G-OOPU are to transfer to Monarch as G-OZBW & G-OZBX respectively. This leaves the carrier with just one A320 in service, G-OOAR (1320), plus a pair of A321s in an otherwise all Boeing fleet.
THY is reportedly about to enter into talks with a view to purchasing LOT.
TNT has taken delivery of former Garuda B734Fs OE-IAP (29206 ex PK-GZK) & OE-IAQ (29207 ex PK-GZL).
TUIfly is to dispose of B738 D-AHFK (27991) & D-AHFL (27985) to Sriwijaya Air.
UPS B763 N347UP (37871) made its first flight on 24/1.
UT Air. Former Continental B735 N11641 (28902) arrived at Vilnius on 21/1 for preparation for the carrier.
Uzbekistan B763 UK67003 (40534) made its first flight on 23/1.
Virgin Atlantic is to withdraw four A346s from service by October this year & they are currently being advertised by Airbus for sale or lease as follows:
G-VSHY (383) from July
G-VMEG (391) from October
G-VOGE (416) from November
G-VFOX (449) from December
West Atlantic Cargo ATP SE-MAJ (2038) was reregistered LX-WAD on 24/1.
Wind Jet. See under Alitalia.