IranAir (Tehran) is the last passenger airline operator of the Boeing 747SP in the world. The flag carrier will offer a final farewell flight over Tehran on November 23. The Jumbo is currently operating between Tehran (Imam Khomeini International Airport) and Kuala Lumpur.
45 Boeing 747SPs (Special Performance) were built between 1974 and 1989 by Boeing. The “Stubby Jumbo” specialized in long, usually thin, routes in the early years.
In other news, IranAir will resume weekly Tehran-Moscow (Sheremetyevo) service on September 23 with Airbus A320s per Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Christian Volpati/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 747SP-86 EP-IAC (msn 21093) will operate the last flight. EP-IAC is pictured in the original 1962 markings arriving at Paris (Orly). EP-IAC was delivered new to IranAir on May 27, 1977.
The new A320 is configured with a two class layout with 36 seats in Business Class and 138 in the main cabin. The new aircraft replaces another A320 from the all-Airbus fleet of twelve aircraft – seven A320s, four A319s and one A321.
Airbus A320-214 F-HBIX (msn 6012) (above) was handed over on March 13 and arrived at Paris-Orly Sud base on the evening of March 13, 2014. The new airliner entered revenue service the following day from Paris (Orly) to Bamako. The aircraft is mainly being used for flights between Paris-Orly and Moscow and Paris-Orly and Bamako.
By adding this new Airbus to its fleet, Aigle Azur has now become the second French airline to operate this type of aircraft, which is the latest generation of the Airbus A320 family.
Aigle Azur is planning to operate its last scheduled Airbus A321 service with A321-211 F-HBAF (msn 1006) from Paris (Orly) to Algiers and return on April 3 according to Airline Route.
Top Copyright Photos: Aigle Azur.
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Bottom Copyright Photo: Pepscl/Airlinersgallery.com. The pictured A321-211 F-HBAB (msn 823) in the old 2001 colors was previously returned to GATX on September 30, 2013 and is now with Atlasjet as TC-ATZ.
Besides Moscow, Aigle Azur specializes in connecting Paris (Orly) with destinations in Portugal and Africa:
Royal Jordanian Airlines (Amman) this month celebrated its 50th Anniversary. The flag carrier launched scheduled passenger flights on December 15, 1963 as Alia-The Royal Jordanian Airline (Air Jordan) between Amman and Beirut. The airline adopted the current name on December 15, 1986.
Majesty King Abdullah II joined the airline on December 22 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee according to the airline. RJ has introduced a new 50th emblem which is likely to appear on its aircraft The airline is also issuing 50 days of daily free tickets.
The airline issued this statement and photo:
His Majesty King Abdullah II joined Royal Jordanian on Sunday, December 22, 2013, in a celebration to mark the national carrier’s 50thanniversary.
During a visit to RJ’s new premises, the King toured a photo exhibition depicting the flag carrier’s development since its launch in 1963 and also viewed a model of a modern aircraft and its functions from take-off to landing.
The King and the attendees also watched a film about the development of RJ, which launched its maiden flight to Beirut on December 15, which was later followed by other destinations across various continents.
His Majesty congratulated the RJ staff on the airline’s golden jubilee, expressing his pride in and appreciation for their relentless efforts to upgrade “this national edifice” over five decades.
“Through its glitter, RJ has become a real ambassador of the country and an embodiment of its bright image as it circled the world in its name,” the King wrote in the visitors’ book, urging the airline to pursue its efforts to boost its competitiveness in the region and the world.
During the ceremony, attended by His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Ibn Al Hussein, Prime Minister Abdullah Nsour and senior officials, King Abdullah honoured a number of staff members and ex-employees for their contributions to RJ. He also received a memento, a Boeing 787 yoke, from the Chairman of the Board of Directors Nasser Lozi.
Lozi said in remarks during the ceremony that RJ’s golden jubilee marks the carrier’s history and the ability of its staff from multiple generations to build an airline whose roots run deep at home and which has spread its branches across the world.
He said the company had made remarkable growth and expanded through various stages of the Kingdom’s development and sought to promote the national values of a sense of belonging, maintaining traditions and hospitality.
Lozi said human resources are the backbone of RJ’s development and modernisation as it relied on the expertise, loyalty and keenness of its staff to put the airline among the world’s prestigious airlines
Royal Jordanian President/CEO Amer Hadidi said: โThe 50 past years of RJ lifetime is a source of pride for all of us. RJ is dream that came true with the persistent efforts of loyal Jordanians that could manage to build this edifice with very limited potentials.โ
He added that the airline has promising future plans including growing its fleet and increasing the destinations on its route network, adding that RJ will be receiving the first 5 Boeing 787 aircraft in the second half of 2014, helping RJ to reach new heights and to fly to more cities around the world.
Hadidi said the airline intends to invest in the aviation industry in the field of maintenance and ground handling, and to expand in this area by providing these services in the regional markets. He pointed that RJ has the required expertise and capabilities qualifying it to contribute to the development of aviation in the Arab world, particularly the countries that witnessed the transformation of the Arab Spring and are in need of such services.โ
In other news, Royal Jordanian is planning to introduce its first new 267-seat Boeing 787-8 initially on the Amman-Jeddah route on July 1, 2014 followed by the twice-weekly Amman-Lagos-Accra route the next day according to Airline Route.ย Twice-weekly Amman-Montreal (Trudeau) will be introduced on July 3 followed by weekly Amman-Abu Dhabi service on July 5.
Top Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Royal Jordanian Airlines’ Airbus A330-223 JY-AIF (msn 979) approaches the runway at London’s Heathrow Airport.
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Bottom Copyright Photo: Christian Volpati/AirlinersGallery.com. Alia’sย Lockheed L-1011-385-3 TriStar 500 JY-AGB (msn 1219) taxies at Paris (Orly) in the ornate 1981 livery.
Corsair International (formerly Corsairfly) (Paris-Orly) is planning to resume weekly Paris (Orly)-Cancun service with Boeing 747-400s starting on November 1 according to Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: The Corsair fleet is being repainted from its Corsairfly and TUI livery to the new “shades of blue” 2012 livery. This former United Airlines Boeing 747-422 F-GTUI (msn 26875) displays the 2001 TUI color scheme.
To see the various liveries – Corsair Slide Show:ย
Hong Kong Airlines (Hong Kong) has finalized a contract with Airbus for the firm order of 10 additonal A330-200 long range aircraft and converted an existing order for 15 A330s to the A350 XWBs. Both agreements were previously announced as an initial MOU during the Farnborough Air Show in July 2010.
Deliveries of the newly ordered A330-200s will begin in 2012, while the carrier’s first A350 XWB will arrive in 2018.
Copyright Photo: Pepscl. Hong Kong Airlines (Hong Kong) acquired its first Airbus A330-200 (B-LND) on June 4, 2010. The pictured A330-223 F-WJKJ (msn 1031) at Paris (Orly) became B-LNC was it was accepted on June 21, 2010.
Mauritania Airways (Nouakchott) Boeing 737-700 ran off the runway yesterday (July 28) at Conakry while operating a flight from Nouakchott to Conakry via Dakar. The airliner ended up in the grass on a slight downward slope. The aircraft is intact. 10 people received slight injuries. The airliner reportedly land long at night. Tunisair owns 51% of the company and leased the aircraft to Mauritania Airways.
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