VISITORS
A couple of Transavia B737s were newcomers today - PH-XRB (28256) on the morning fight & PH-XRE (30668) in the evening. Also on a first visit was British A/W B772 G-YMMT (36518).
FLEET NEWS
BMI Baby. As yet unconfirmed, but B733 G-TOYI (28054) seems to have flown its last revenue service on 31/10 as BMI5966 from Alicante to East Midlands. It was then ferried somewhere as BMI9471 the following day. Anyone know any more, please?
British A/W B772 G-YMMT (36518) was ferried across from LHR as BAW9150 late this afternoon. It operated BAW2043 to Male this evening & is due back tomorrow at 19.10 as BAW2042. This has replaced G-YMMB (30303), which was ferried to Cardiff as BAW9151 this afternoon for cabin reconfiguration.
Eastern A/W Jetstream 41 G-MAJM (41096) was cancelled from the UK register yesterday as exported to Nepal & left Humberside today as 9N-AJC en route to Naples, possibly for Yeti A/L.
EasyJet A319 G-EZFN (4076) was, as expected, delivered from Finkenwerder to Madrid today.
Flybe DHC-8 G-PTHC (4276) was actually delivered to Exeter today & not, as predicted, Birmingham. It is due to be flown to Greece as SX-OBC on Friday. B461 G-JEAO (E1010) & B463 G-JEBF (E3202) were both cancelled from the UK register yesterday as permanently withdrawn from use.
Malev. Correcting yesterday's snippet regarding HA-LMA (11564), it is, of course, a Fk70 & not a Fk100!
Ryanair B738s EI-DAD (33544) & EI-DAE (33545) are currently at Bournemouth for repainting. Reports elsewhere that they have been withdrawn from use are, I believe, incorrect & they are just two of 35 that the airline is repainting this winter. Further aircraft are expected to arrive at Bournemouth in pairs. B738 EI-EGA (38490) made its first flight today.
ROUTE NEWS
Brussels A/L. The late afternoon flight (BEL2129) now only operates on days 4,5,7.
EasyJet Switzerland has reduced the frequency of what was a four-times daily service from Geneva. The timetable is now:
EZS8469 sta 07.35 days 1,2,3,4,5,7
EZS8471 sta 11.50 days 1,2,3,4,5,6
EZS8473 sta 14.00 days 1,3,4,5 plus 15.05 on day 6 & 16.50
EZS8477 sta 19.20 days 1,2,4,5,6,7
Hopefully, this reduction in flights will help the airline's timekeeping, which has often been appalling.
Ryanair. One of the Dublin flights, RYR1124, now only operates on days 6 & 7. Rarely out of the news (& usually for the wrong reasons) Mr O'Leary has managed to upset the management of yet another airport. Shannon Airport Authority has announced that it will not be entering into a further five-year agreement with Ryanair when the existing deal expires next April. The problem seems to hinge around handing & landing charges (as always) with the two sides failing to agree common ground. The airline has stated that it will reduce its Shannon-based fleet to one aircraft from next summer & with Ryanair currently operating to twenty-eight destinations from Shannon, the future of our twice-daily service looks bleak.
United A/W. Interesting news from Ian Gawtrey is that on 21/11 this Bangladeshi outfit is due to start a Sunday & Wednesday MD-80 service from Dhaka to Gatwick South terminal routing via Dubai & Istanbul. Other than a pair of DHC-8s, the airline has just the one MD-83, S2-AEU (49790 ex EC-307, EC-ESJ, EC-742, EC-FZC, OE-LHG, G-FLTL). A long old haul for a MD-80!
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Another little piece of aviation trivia that made me smile. The Aviation Herald reports that on Sunday Ryanair B738 EI-DYV operating RYR6531 from Marseille to Porto had to divert to Santiago de Compostella due to two dogs running on & near the runway. The aircraft was on final approach when the crew noticed the dogs & they went around & entered a holding pattern while airport staff attempted to catch the dogs. With the airport staff failing in the attempt, the crew decided to divert to Santiago de Compostella. The aircraft eventually made it to Oporto arriving about 2.5 hours late.
CREDITS
David Osborn, John/Ord_1961, Steve Pigg, John Tietjen, Stephen Murphy, Paul Smith, Ian Gawtrey, Mike Hooker, Ian Gawtrey, Malcolm Baldry, Contrails, the Aviation Herald, Jethro, Skyliner, RJ Mitchell & anybody else that I have forgotten.
Happy spotting!
John (& "Mad" Max) is back!
MOVEMENTS SUMMARY (most from SBS)
AAW912 - A320 5A-ONB
ADR450 - CRJ2 S5-AAF
AEA1013 - B738 EC-KBV
AEA1015 - E195 EC-KYP
AEU001T - A320 G-STRP (also AEU003T with callsign showing as FLST003T on SBS)
AMC116 - A319 9H-AEH
AUI501 - B735 UR-GAU
AWE732 - A333 N270AY
BAW9150 - B772 G-YMMT (first visit)
BEL2121 - B462 OO-DJY
BTI651 - B733 YL-BBS
CIM261 - CRJ2 OY-RJB
CIM767 - CRJ2 OY-RJA (aircraft change from the predicted OY-RJC)
CIM5265 - B737 OY-MRG
CIM5761 - B737 OY-MRE
CIM5765 - B737 OY-MRU
DAL12 - B764 N827MH
EIN23A - A320 EI-DEP (also EIN236/246/248)
EZS8469 - A319 HB-JZJ (also EZS8471)
EZS8477 - A319 HB-JZH
EZS8532 - A319 HB-JZG
EZY8922 - A319 G-EZFP
ISS3535 - A319 EI-DFA
MAH612 - B736 HA-LOD
MAH614 - B737 HA-LOB
MLD883 - A320 ER-AXP
NAX1302 - B738 LN-NON
NAX1304 - B733 LN-KKV (also NAX1306)
NAX1318 - B733 LN-KKC
NAX1320 - B733 LN-KHA
NAX3510 - B738 LN-NOD (also NAX3514)
NAX3521 - B738 LN-NOG
NOA271 - A320 SX-OAR
QTR075 - A332 A7-AFP
RYR1MT - B738 EI-DLN
RYR112 - B738 EI-DLH (also RYR114/116/118 - last 2 were aircraft changes from the predicted EI-DPS)
RYR1126 - B738 EI-EFN
RYR1182 - B738 EI-DHD
RYR5371 - B738 EI-DAR
RYR5562 - B738 EI-EFC
RYR9228 - B738 EI-DYE
RYR9852 - B738 EI-DCE
TAP334 - A320 CS-TMW
TAP344 - A320 CS-TNE
TAP348 - A320 CS-TNS (second visit)
TRA5195 - B737 PH-XRB (first visit)
TRA5197 - B737 PH-XRE (first visit)
TSC102 - A332 C-GPTS
UAE009 - B773 A6-ECG
UAE011 - B772 A6-EMG
UAE015 - B773 A6-ECF
VIK122 - eta 22.10
BIZJETS, ETC
CS-DFX HS125 (NJE676L - aircraft change from the predicted CS-DNJ)
CS-DUE HS125 (arr 2/11 & dep today)
CS-DXQ Ce560XLS (NJE636D - aircraft change from the predicted CS-DXH)
CS-DXW Ce560XLS (arr 2/11 & dep today)
ZS-AOL Gulf 5 (arr 31/10 & dep today before returning as AJZ505)