Aviation in Malta January 2019

We now continue with foreign visitors in Malta International Airport between 3rd - 9th January. This is not going to be separate parts because during the Winter Season in Malta is not busy than the Summer months.

EasyJet G-UZHF Airbus A320neo delivered in 2018 taken 3rd January 2019.

EasyJet seen on short final runway 31 from London Gatwick, UK with the Neo on the fuselage. Since the Airbus A320neo was launched with low-cost with EasyJet, they do come to Malta often before Air Malta had their first Neo.

Air Malta 9H-AEJ Airbus A319 delivered in 2004 taken 3rd January 2019.

Speaking of Air Malta, this could be my last shot of 9H-AEJ the last Airbus A319 in the Air Malta fleet I said a million times. "Juliet" is due to be withdrawn this year with more arrivals to the Air Malta fleet to replace "Juliet" as we know "Remeo" 9H-AHR is gone. If Juliet is gone when I took this outstanding short final approach, then this could be goodbye. 

Kuwait Air Force KAF 326 Lockheed Martin KC-130J Hercules taken 6th January 2019.

We had two Kuwait Air Force arriving to Malta on transit (re-fuel) before continuing to it's final destination I can't remember where. Anyway the two Lockheed Martin's C-130 Hercules arrived from Kuwait City, Kuwait during the late afternoon. 

Travel Service Poland OK-GBB Airbus A330-200  new to JMC Air in 2001 ex G-OJMB taken 

Travel Service Poland traveled from the Caribbean back to Warsaw, Poland before heading to Malta on a tech stop by Lufthansa Technik Malta. Interesting about this aircraft in history, this is one of the few former JMC Air from the UK ex G-OJMB meaning their are still some of former JMC Air planes I've mentioned about Thomas Cook and few other operators. Now these former JMC Air are either scrapped & recycled.

Virgin Atlantic G-VMNK  Airbus A330-200 new to LTU in 2001 ex D-ALPA 8th January 2019. 

And speaking of Lufthansa Technik we had a rare visitor of Virgin Atlantic arrived from London Gatwick, UK. Virgin Atlantic I see it sometimes yearly it comes to Malta during it's tech stop since I've last seen Virgin Atlantic in Malta three years ago but an Airbus A340 instead on A330. Other facet, some of these Airbus A330 aircraft to Virgin are former LTU & Air Berlin.

Afriqiyah Airways 5A-ONO Airbus A320 delivered in 2013 taken 8th January 2019

Finally I did not know what's coming after Virgin Atlantic arrived we have Afriqiyah Airways we rarely see in Malta since the Flight 209 hijacking in December 2016. This visitor of Afriqiyah Airways arrived from Tripoli Mitiga, Libya with the Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj on-board. During the Libyan Prime Minister's visit, it's to do with migrants crossing into the Mediterranean Sea to Europe during the discussions with Fayez al-Sarraj and our Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. The same aircraft & reg came back few days later sadly I wasn't in Malta its only to pick up  Fayez al-Sarraj.