Saturday, 24 December 2022
Merry Christmas! & New Name Coming!
Sunday, 21 August 2022
Aviation in Malta 16th June 2022
Last year's Summer has been a mix despite on Covid restrictions. Efforts for airliners to Malta had been desperate with airliners such as TUI Airways been cancelled flights here as well as other European destinations. Easyjet, British Airways similar but limited on flight schedules and our carrier Air Malta to this day are in crisis. Last year Lufthansa used their Airbus A350 directly from New York's Newark, USA for cruises it's on my blog. Let's take a look on airliners in Malta taken the month of June 2022.
TUI Airways returned to Malta fully this year. Last year TUI Airways did come here last year with their Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 787-8 but only when restrictions came by the Maltese Government forcing TUI to cancel Summer 2021.
This year TUI Airways is back to normal but only on charters & cruises. TUI Airways operates their Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and London Gatwick.
Last Summer Jet2 did operate here but not as much. After Thomas Cook Airlines ceased operations both Jets2 abd Easyjet operated former Thomas Cook slots as more flights added. This year is what spotters want. Jet2 is one of Europe's Boeing 757's still operate with passengers other than Condor and Icelandair. According to Jet2, it'll retire their 8 Boeing 757-200 by 2026. It'll be replacing by Airbus A321neo.
In this photo, Jet2 occasionally send's their Boeing 757-200 aircraft from Manchester, UK while the airline do use Airbus A321ceo.
British Airways this Summer has been a nightmare due to UK's short staff as well as job cuts from the pandemic, and strikes. Iberia Express and Titan Airways from London Gatwick. While Finner operates BA from London Heathrow. Similar to Easyjet uses Smartlynx & Aviation Express Malta and Jet2 uses two Airbus A330's from Air Tanker.
Air Malta this year is still in chaos during the pandemic & after that. It was announced Air Malta have to do alot of cut backs not only nonprofit destinations, but major cut backs on staff. And what also announced, is that Air Malta will be downgrading the livery. For example, my photo 9H-AHS has been in full Air Malta livery for two years. Last year it went full white similar to it's former fleet 9H-AHR. If this aircraft could go into ima livery change for example, the tail will be 90% 1989 tail livery with not only the purple stripes come back, but more extra blue at the bottom layer. While the whole fuselage will be similar to this one.
This mighty Airbus A330-200MRTT came to Malta for paint work. As this was an empty flight, the aircraft made a short takeoff when doing full length departure. This aircraft is operated by Multi-Role Tanker Transport from The Netherlands.
Enter Air came as a charter. During that day, this aircraft had to go around due to heavy traffic departing Malta.
And finally we're going to mention Wizzair. Few months ago, Wizzair announced it'll be expanding it's European base beyond Hungary. Compare to Wizzair UK due to Brexit, Wizzair announced it'll be introducing a new base here including Maltese registered aircraft. We don't have any information how many Maltese registered aircraft will have, Wizzair hopes the destinations could replace Air Malta's unprofitable routes to North Africa like Casablanca, Morocco and Cairo, Egypt. While it'll plan to operate more European destinations. As Wizzair has UK registered aircraft because of Brexit, and Wizzair Abu Dhabi operates from Abu Dhabi, UAE to few Asian & European destinations Wizzair might expand more compare what Norwegian use to have in Argentina.
And their you have it. It's not much since I've been extremely busy with work & more travels. They'll be more spotting blogs soon.
Friday, 19 August 2022
Fedex F166FE
It has been three decades this Boeing 727 formerly operated by FedEx. Last month, I went to Paris Le Bourget, France since I last visited their in Paris Airshow 2017. I didn't see the 727 properly during the airshow so it's good to see this bird in glory. In this blog, let's take a look back of this trijet.
This Boeing 727-200 was built & delivered in 1966 to United Airlines ex N7056U. In 1989 when it was converted to a freighter, it joined Federal Express which is known as today's FedEx.
Since then, it operated all over the Unites States full of packages & parcels. However during the 2000's, the 727's have slowly retiring from both passenger and cargo variants. This is where this 727 came in. Although FedEx continued operating their 727's till 2013, this aircraft N166FE was withdrawn from service in 16th May 2007. It was stored at Mobile Downtown, USA for it's final flight. A couple of months later, it did a final flight as FedEx Flight 721 from Mobile Downtown - London Stansted, UK for refuel and it's final destination to Paris Le Bourget, France in 20th June 2007. It was donated for the museum where it stands today.
Did you see this aircraft on it's final flight? What was the inside look like? Feel free to comment.
Thursday, 18 August 2022
Aviation in Amsterdam, The Netherlands 4th June 2022
Welcome back to the first blog for 2022! I've been out of nowhere during 2021/mid 2022 during the pandemic and other events.
I have alot of spotting photos to go through including last year so let's start with Amsterdam in The Netherlands. The weather on that day started to rain so I had less spotting.
The last time I was in Amsterdam, Delta Air Lines use to send out Boeing 767's while other fleet still uses Airbus A330's. Now Delta send's their new Airbus A350's and Airbus A330neo's from the US. During the day I've only seen thr A330ceo and A350 so this is the best one on final approach.
On flightradar24 I saw an Etihad Boeing 787-10 with a special feature on the engine. This aircraft A6-BMI showes ecoDemonstrator program is showing off how this aircraft is going greener.
American Airlines I've only seen two of them in Amsterdam. The 787-8 aircraft arriving from Philadelphia, USA in the early morning. Later on their is a 787-9 from Dallas, USA.
TUI Airlines Netherlands mostly send's their Beoing 737's from the Mediterranean. Since the return of the 737 MAX program, this aircraft is a Boeing 737 MAX 8 delivered a year ago.
China Airlines on final from Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan). However, their has been recent political & military uncertainty by the mainland China similar to current Russia's invasion of Ukraine. If China threatened Taiwan, similar to Ukraine we might not see the national carriers anytime soon.
Finally, time to go classic! Before the rain & thunderstorms arrived, I had my chance to see this Airbus A310 I rarely see nowadays. This is a 30 year old Airbus A310 delivered new to Aeroflot in 1992 as F-OGQU. It went to Emirates in 2005 converted to Cargo and ULS Airlines in 2008. It was arriving from Istanbul, Turkey.
Thank you for looking at my blog, it has been over a year ago. Their is changes where I'll ve showing my spotting and aircraft only. I will no longer doing YouTube, Flickr and flight reports.
Wednesday, 3 November 2021
lufthansa's long haul flight from Newark, USA - Malta what do we know?
30th July 2021, a German carrier Lufthansa has launched flights for the first time between New York Newark in the United States to Malta. But before we look at more information during my plane spotting their, let's take a look back at the beginning of Transatlantic flights between Malta and the US.
Although Malta did fly to the US by PPE during the Pandemic once in a while by Hi Fly Malta. And in the past we had US Air Force planes directly from the US or US Air Force base in Europe. We didn't had any passenger service since the 2011 Libyan Cilvil War with Canadian citizens evacuated from Libya to Malta then cross the Atlantic to Canada.
Let's talk about two airliner that did travel to Malta from the US. Balkan Bulgarian Airlines used their Boeing 767 aircraft directly from New York JFK in Summer of 1996. In 2000, ATA "American Trans Airlines" used their Boeing 757-200 registered N516AT however, it wasn't direct. The Boeing 757-200 can travel at least upto 3,900 nautical miles it can fly to Ireland and the UK without re-fueling. N516AT aircraft flew out of JFK with a re-fuel stop in Shannon, Ireland before heading to Malta. Both Balkan Bulgarian & ATA was wet chartered by Air Malta.
In 2021, Lufthansa has operated this service until October 2021 as LH488/489. The reason for this is because of tourism for Viking Cruises either Viking Sea or Viking Venues in Valletta Grand Harbour.
D-AIXL Airbus A350-900 delivered in 2018 taken 22nd September 2021. |
Friday, 15 October 2021
Farewell Alitalia
Final photo of Alitalia EI-DSG Airbus A320 taken 23rd September 2021. |
It's a real shame Italy has lost it's icon, I like to thank Alitalia throughout the years. And also for me as a spotter seeing fleets of the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 family, Airbus A320 family, Airbus A330, Boeing 777 and Embrear family by Alitalia CityLiner throughout the world.
Friday, 5 February 2021
Southampton, UK travel information 5th February 2021
Welcome to another travel update & new blog for 2021. It's been a bit late since my last blog was before Christmas 2020 I just needed a break while we're on Covid restrictions so for good news as UK is currently stated it's vaccination and what is the news on travel for one airport I live near.
So the news came in after the New Year that Southampton Airport is introducing more flights with reasons on taking over slots from Flybe but their is brand new destinations will be included this Summer with hopes on UK traveling might go ahead so hear is the list of airliners at their new destinations.
Blue Islands
- Dublin, Ireland
- Manchester, UK
British regional carrier from the Channel Islands will begin with flights from Southampton to Manchester within the UK. And flights also operate directly from Southampton to Dublin in Republic of Ireland.
British Airways
- Bergerac, France
- Berlin Brandenburg, Germany
- Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)
- Faro, Portugal
- Florence, Italy
- Ibiza, Spain
- Limoges, France
- Malaga, Spain
- Mykonos, Greece
- Nice, France
- Palma de Mallorca, Spain
British Airways will finally be returning to Southampton since 2007 after Flybe tookover BA's franchise. It'll operate by BA CityFlyer withing Embraer ERJ-190 starting in the beginning of May 2021 throughout the Summer period till October.
Eastern Airways
- Dublin, Ireland
- Gibraltar
- Leeds/Bradford, England (UK)
- Manchester, England (UK)
- Nantes, France
- Rennes, France
- Teeside, England (UK)
Eastern Airways had already started it's domestic flights to Teeside and Leeds however, it was temporary stopped due to the pandemic. Eastern Airways will resume these two English destinations later this month if UK Government advice on travel remains suspended. For the first time, Eastern Airways will be heading to Gibraltar a British Overseas Territory at the Mediterranean directly from Southampton starting in May. All other destinations will start in March, and April.
Loganair
- Isle of Man
Scottish regional carrier will be expanding to other UK destinations from the Isle of Man. For the first time from decades Southampton Airport will begin connections to the Isle of Man a UK Crown Dependency country.
Other Airliners
KLM to Amsterdam, The Netherlands has temporarily suspended due to the strain of the pandemic where it first spotted in the UK. KLM has already placed a ban on all UK airports so we hopefully with vaccines, KLM might resume in the Spring or Summer.
Swiss low-cost carrier Easyjet Switzerland will not resume Southampton to Geneva, Switzerland as of February 2021 onwards. However, you can book Easyjet Switzerland for December 2021. We've spotted Easyjet's website flights are also available from Bournemouth to Geneva next month until the end of March with Winter Seasonal flights will end. That could change from UK Government travel advice.