USC (USC GmbH 2022) (Frankfurt) was initially founded in 2020 as Universal Sky Courier.
The original plan was to operate as a freight carrier.
Today the carrier has evolved into a versatile Airbus ACMI company that can operate both passenger and cargo flights.
The AOC was granted on August 14, 2023
Top Copyright Photo: USC (Universal Sky Courier) Airbus A340-313 D-AUSC (msn 646) HHN (Bernhard Ross). Image: 961396.
Joon on March 25 launched its first long-haul route to Cairo. The new route is being operated with newly added Airbus A340-300 (F-GLZP) from parent Air France.
Twitter post by Giles Laurent:
Route Map:
Joon Air aircraft slide show:
Eurowings placed the first Airbus A340-300 into revenue service on March 20 from Dusseldorf, operated by Brussels Airlines. Flight EW 9778, operated with the pictured A340-313 OO-SCW (msn 335), departed DUS bound for Vienna. OO-SCW is the first of three A340s to be operated by Brussels Airlines from the DUS base.
Photo: Eurowings.
Videos:
Air Belgium (2nd) has announced on social media that its first Airbus A340-300 has been pulled out of the paint shop.
The pictured Airbus A340-313 registered as OO-ABA (msn 835) previously flew with Finnair as OH-LQB.
Copyright Photo: Vincent Gys/AIr Belgium.
SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) yesterday (January 7) operated its last Airbus A340-300 revenue flight from Chennai to Colombo with the pictured A340-313 4R-ADF (msn 374). The airline issued this statement and photos of the historic event:
SriLankan Airlines, the first Asian airline to operate the four-engine Airbus A340 aircraft, bid goodbye to the last of its A340s after more than two decades in service, with a final commercial flight on January 7, 2016.
SriLankan introduced the A340 on September 1, 1994, at the time when it was the most sophisticated aircraft manufactured by Airbus Industrie. Over this 21-year period, a total of seven A340s have served the airline, and were for many years the mainstay of its long haul fleet.
Above Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by SriLankan).
SriLankan Airlines aircraft slide show: 
Below Photo: 4R-ADF and the crew received the traditional water cannon salute on its return to Colombo.
Below Photo: Final handshake recived from SriLankan’s CEO – Suren Ratwatte to Capt. Nanda Nadarajah (former Chief Pilot A340).
Below Photo: The crew of the last revenue flight:
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Lufthansa (Frankfurt) is adding three new long-haul destinations from its Frankfurt hub to Cancún, Mexico, Malé, in the Maldives, and Mauritius.
The expansion kicked off on December 8, when flight LH 514 departed Frankfurt for Cancún. This was followed on Wednesday, December 9 with flight LH 704 to Malé. The week was rounded off on December 10 with flight LH 708 to Mauritius.
Lufthansa has added to its network in the last few months, with Tampa, Florida and Nairobi, Kenya being added in late September and late October respectively. In March 2016, flights to Panama City, Panama will begin.
The aircraft used for these flights – equipped with a FlyNet broadband connection – is the Airbus A340-300, with seats spread over three different travel classes. Out of a total of 298 seats, 18 are in Business Class, 19 in Premium Economy and 261 in Economy.
Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. 8 Airbus A340-300s are being transferred to and leased-back from Lufthansa CityLine and will be operated in a high-density configuration on leisure routes. Airbus A340-313 D-AIGY (msn 335) prepares to depart from the Frankfurt hub.
Lufthansa aircraft slide show:
Emirates (Dubai) has announced its fleet plans for 2016. In total, the airline will aggressively retire 26 aircraft, including 12 Airbus A330-300s, 4 A340-300s, 1 A340-500, 6 Boeing 777-200 ERs, 2 Boeing 777-300s and 1 Boeing 777-300 ER. The average age of the Emirates aircraft slated for retirement in 2016 will be 15.7 years, well-below the average industry retirement age of 25. In addition, 13 more aircraft will be retired in 2017 and another 13 will be retired in 2018.
Top Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. The four Airbus A340-300s will be retired next year. Airbus A340-313 A6-ERS (msn 139) arrives at the Dubai hub.
This means the Airbus A340-300, the last A340-500 (A6-ERE) and Boeing 777-200 ER fleets will now be retired in 2016.
The remaining Airbus A330-200s will likely be retired now in 2017.
Below Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. The last remaining Airbus A340-500 will also be retired in 2016. Now retired, A340-541 A6-ERH (msn 611) is pictured arriving at the Dubai hub.
The fast-growing airline continued;
Balancing its aircraft retirement program, Emirates will take delivery of 36 new aircraft in 2016, including 20 Airbus A380s and 16 Boeing 777-300 ERs. These two aircraft types are recognized as some of the most efficient and quiet commercial airplanes available, emitting on average 12% less carbon dioxide than the aircraft being retired. At the end of 2016, the aircraft retirements and new deliveries will put Emirates’ average fleet age at 5.6 years, dramatically younger than the global average. A recent analysis shows the average fleet age for the top five airlines in North America is 13.6 years, while the average fleet age for the top five airlines in Europe is 10.7 years.
Currently, the total number of aircraft in the Emirates fleet stands at 243. In 2015, the airline received 26 new aircraft, including 15 A380s, 10 Boeing 777-300ERs and 1 Boeing 777 Freighter. The airline has 263 additional aircraft on order, worth over US$120 billion at list prices. Its order book includes 71 Airbus A380s, 42 Boeing 777-300ERs, 115 Boeing 777-9Xs and 35 Boeing 777-8Xs.
Above Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com. The six smaller Boeing 777-200 ERs will now be retired in 2016. Boeing 777-21H ER A6-EMI (msn 27250) arrives in London (Heathrow).
When delivered beginning in 2020, the new Boeing 777Xs will come with a variety of fuel efficient design additions making it almost 20% more fuel efficient than previous models. It will also include a range of passenger-focused amenities including larger windows, increased cabin pressure, more humidity, higher ceilings and a wider cabin than previous models.
In addition to reducing the age of its fleet, Emirates also implements a variety of other environmental practices that reduces CO2 emissions. These include FlexTracks, a program that plans efficient flight route patterns based on weather conditions; single-engine taxi on the ground; idle reverse thrust upon landing; and fuel-efficient ground handling and transportation equipment. Emirates publishes its environmental initiatives and emissions performance data annually as part of the Emirates Group environmental report available on http://www.emirates.com/environment.
Emirates aircraft slide show:
Airline Aircraft Endangered Species List:
Air France (Paris) has announced it will eliminate another 2,900 positions and cut its long-haul fleet by 14 aircraft after a critical board meeting. The long-haul fleet is being reduced from 107 aircraft to only 93. The cuts are coming after management failed to reach a new agreement with its pilots union.
The cut positions include 300 pilots, 900 flight attendants and 1,700 ground staff.
AF will expedite the retirement of its remaining Airbus A340-300s.
The company is also canceling its order for 12 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
Angry AF employees attacked company executives as they left the meeting.
Read the full report by rt.com: 
Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-313 F-GLZM (msn 237) arrives in Stockholm (Arlanda).
Air France aircraft slide show:
Finnair (Helsinki) has issued this financial fleet guidance as it prepares to accept its first Airbus A350-900:
Finnair, which is the European launch customer for the Airbus A350-900 XWB, is preparing to receive its first A350 delivery from Airbus in early October.
As Finnair announced in December 2013, it has made sale and leaseback agreements for its two first A350 aircraft with GECAS (GE Capital Aviation Services). These agreements will be concluded in connection with the delivery of the respective aircraft, and the value of the transaction is approximately EUR 260 million.
It has also been stated previously that non-recurring items associated with the long haul fleet renewal in 2015 will have a substantial positive impact on Finnair’s operating result due to the strengthened US Dollar. This separate guidance covered the sale and leaseback agreements for Finnair’s first two A350s, constituting a significant positive impact, as well as the phase out of all Finnair’s remaining A340-300s, which will involve non-recurring costs primarily materialising in 2015. The remainder of these costs, presently estimated at below EUR 10 million, will be booked in 2016.
Calculated at present exchange rates, the positive net impact of these arrangements on Finnair’s operating profit in H2/2015 is expected to amount to approximately EUR 70 million.
Finnair has ordered a total of 19 new A350-900 XWB aircraft, and under the target delivery schedule it will receive four aircraft in the second half of 2015, seven in 2016–2017 and eight in 2018–2023.
Finnair will dispose of the seven A340-300 aircraft it currently operates by the end of 2017, replacing them as the A350s are delivered and enter into service on Finnair’s scheduled traffic routes.
Airbus has agreed to acquire four A340-300 aircraft currently owned by Finnair in 2016 and 2017.
Since the arrangements relating to both sale and leaseback of the A350s and the sale of A340-300s are denominated in US Dollars, the final financial impact depends on the EUR/USD exchange rate prevailing at the time of delivery of the respective aircraft.
Disclosures on financing arrangements for the A350 aircraft other than the first two to be delivered will be made as those agreements are finalized. Finnair’s fleet consists of both owned and leased aircraft.
Top Copyright Photo: Eurospot/AirlinersGallery.com. The first Finnair Airbus A350-941 is the pictured F-WZFM (msn 018) on a test flight at Toulouse. It will become OH-LWA when it is handed over on October 7, 2015.
Finnair aircraft slide show:
Bottom Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. The last aging Airbus A340-300 will be retired at the end of 2017. Airbus A340-313 OH-LQB (msn 835) taxies at Brussels.
Airline Aircraft Type “Endangered Species List” (aircraft types soon to be retired) (click on the photo below for the full list):
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SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) is in the final phases of the retirement of its aging Airbus A340-300s. The carrier is currently planning to operate the last revenue flight on November 12, 2015 between Colombo and Male and return per Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-313 4R-ADF (msn 374) departs from London (Heathrow) in the past.
SriLankan Airlines aircraft slide show:
Airline Aircraft Type “Endangered Species List”:
