EgyptAir liveries & news

After recent crash of EgyptAir flight 804 killing everyone onboard, I will share my EgyptAir shots I took I will also include EgyptAir Express too. So first let's talk about my first shots of EgyptAir & liveries.

EgyptAir Express SU-DGI Embraer ERJ-170LR seen in Malta taken 4th January 2014.

My first shot was EgyptAir Express in Malta dating back in 2013. It use to operate non-stop service from Cairo, Egypt to Malta as an express service to connect flights within the European Union's Schengen & Non-Schengen flights or enjoy their final destination also arriving in Egypt to connect domestic flights. The reason why EgyptAir Express no longer operate in Malta is either poor sales in my opinion. The livery is a bit similar to EgyptAir, instead it's blue on fuselage & engine with blue stripes and the tail is similar to EgyptAir instead it's purple look with Express at the bottom on top of the bird.  

EgyptAir SU-GDZ Boeing 737-800 seen in Amsterdam, The Netherlands taken 22nd July 2014.

Then we have the current livery of EgyptAir. The livery on Boeing and Airbus features a bird on the fuselage with EgyptAir in Arabic at the engine I think it's also in English on the other side of the engine if not, then it's Arabic. The rail had light & bit dark stripes.

Update of the crash

Quick story what happened. The aircraft was a 2003 Airbus A320-200 SU-GCC on route from Paris Charles de Gaulle, France to Cairo Egypt at 37,000 feet. The aircraft chenged to 90 degree left turn then 360 degree turn on the right at the Mediterranean Sea. During contact with Air Traffic Control in Egypt I'm guessing Cairo Control, Flight 804 was lost on radar & crashed into the Mediterranean Sea not far from Egypt & Greece killing everyone on board. After finding wreckage, life jackets and bags at sea. Latest news today that human remains (fatality) are retrieved from sea Egypt's investigation team might have said there was a bomb on board if it's from so-called Islamic State. There is no news about the crash yet if there is a update, please check my Facebook for news & update.

Virgin Atlantic liveries

Virgin Atlantic had different liveries over the years it first started in the 1980's with different fleets so I will explain Virgin Atlantic's liveries per different aircraft type.

Virgin Atlantic G-VROY Boeing 747-400 seen in London Gatwick, UK taken 23rd January 2013.

This is 2 in 1 of the Boeing 747-400 in London Gatwick, UK although the liveries with the engine and tail is still the same look it's just the logos on the fuselage. The 747 taking to park has the old Virgin Atlantic logo which was dark purple writing to me it's boring look but since it was the third change from early 2000's I give Virgin credit because their fleets other than 747's had different fonts. Another 747-400 at the gate had giant text I give it 9/10 because as I said it's big & easy for passengers if it's Virgin Atlantic because there are different Virgin airlines all over the world some are huge or tiny.

Virgin Atlantic G-VFIZ Airbus A340-600 seen in Malta 25th January 2013.

This was my lucky one as I mention why this Airbus A340 was in Malta. Anyway you can see the different of the livery and that is there was purple stripes around the tail and I think it's a bit dark red unless it's either me or the camera setting during wet weather conditions also if I remember the fuselage on the A340 series was a bit grayer than the Boeing 747 series. 

Virgin Atlantic G-VRAY Airbus A330-300 seen in London Gatwick, UK taken 1st March 2015.

Finally we have Airbus A330-300. Although there is not much to see like I mention the Boeing 747-400 it's just the new text on the fuselage there is nothing much to say. With the lasted edition to the fleet, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner there is also nothing much to mention about because it looks similar to the Airbus A330. With Airbus A380 coming to Virgin Atlantic in 2018 I think the purple logo will be similar as the Boeing 747-400 but making it bigger between the fuselage and the bottom of the aircraft I did NOT mention.  

What happen to Cyprus Airways?

Cyprus Airways Airbus A320-200 5B-DCH ex America West Airlines N674AW seen in Amsterdam, NL 22nd July 2014.

It's been on year since the departure of Cyprus Airways, what happen to the airline now?

First let's go back in time in 24th September 1947. Cyprus Airways was Cypriots main airliners in Cyprus operated part of the European Union, Russia and the Middle East with so many Codeshare agreements that are Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, Bulgaria Air, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, KLM, Middle East Airlines, TAROM and Virgin Atlantic. However Virgin Atlantic was the main one travelling from London Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh, an Aberdeen UK to the United States. As of 31st October 2013, Cyprus Airways had 6 Airbus A320 Family that makes five A320-200 and one A319. One interesting fleet is that Cyprus Airways had Airbus A330-200 in 2002 to increase more passengers but due to financial trouble by the Cypriot Government and the European Union, the A330 was retired in 2013.

So let's talk about why did Cyprus Airways doesn't exist. In February 2012, Cyprus Airways suffered financial trouble the Cypriot Government owned 93.6% of the airline it was expected Aeroflot to buy the airline but it never did. Due to Cyprus Stock Exchange been suspended on 23rd May 2012, Cyprus Airways started to collapse when the airline loss of €55,8 million in New Years Eve 2012 to a loss of €23,9 million in 2011. In 31st March 2014, Cyprus Airways set a sale to Middle East Airlines in Lebanon for €6.3 million however on 9th January 2015 the European Commission forced the Cypriot Government to ceased Cyprus Airways after 3 years of financial difficulties so what is the main course of Cyprus Airways no longer exist? The answer is Cyprus Airways went bankrupt.

Today the only main airline operate Cyprus is a Greek Airline Aegean Airlines in Larnaca and Irish airline Ryanair in Paphos.

Next travel movement

I know it's been like under 4 months since I done this blog! So now I'm back from the flesh but for now I will explain my upcoming travel movement this year. First off is that next month I will be heading back to Malta for a long stay for almost one month so other than enjoying the hot sun back home, I will also be doing YouTube videos of new airliners I missed from last year and some new ones this year. With filming inflight video with EasyJet from London Gatwick, - Malta will be included I'm not sure with Ryanair coming back to Bournemouth, UK because I already filmed it twice. My plan was back in the New Year I was thinking to head to Gozo Heliport when I visited couple of years ago I will finally be heading down there and do short filming of outside the terminal and the runway. Next trip I just booked is I will be going to Dublin, Republic of Ireland again for the second time as you know I wen't two years ago however I'm going for 2 days not for aviation photography & filming, I will be going to an event in Dublin City Centre so my plan is I will wake up very early & do aviation shots & film before sunrise if I can then head back to the airport again for sunset. From my request to go to Dublin I will be flying with Aer Lingus for the first time & I will do full inflight video as well as Ryanair too bother destinaton to/from London Gatwick, UK. Finally in late August I will be heading to Amsterdam, The Netherlands again but I will not be doing spotting videos because I'm taking my friend to an event in Amsterdam City but full flight videos from both airlines KLM Cityhopper and Flybe will be included to/from Southampton, UK.