Post by viscount on May 13, 2018 14:52:07 GMT 1
THE EUFA CUP FINAL
Wednesday 18th May 2016 in BASLE
Liverpool FC v Sevilla
Wednesday 18th May 2016 in BASLE
Liverpool FC v Sevilla
Following LFC’s defeat of Villareal in the Semi-Final stage of the EUFA Cup the focus of fans became acquiring tickets for Basle. It quickly became clear that due to the St Jacob-Park Stadium being of ‘modest’ size, that there would be no mass exodus by air as to Istanbul and Athens a decade before. Not only were there way fewer tickets available, but many alternative ways of reaching Basle. Indeed such was the shortage of tickets that a number of advised charters were cancelled as loads were consolidated. Interesting aircraft such as a Carpatair Fokker 100, Voletea Boeing 717 and a Flybe ERJ-195 did not operate. Eventually 18 return flights, including the team plane, operated by 14 airlines and a few biz-jets/corporate twin did operate. A not dissimilar number of flights as operated to Dortmund in 2001 – but with many less passengers, as there was just the one wide-body on offer on fan’s flights. There was little change to the aircraft on the inbound and outbound legs, the main one being that the team and staff departed on Titan, but returned on a Virgin Airbus A.330 wide-body in foul weather.
Unfortunately the display by LFC on Wednesday 18th May on the field lacked inspiration, despite the encouragement showed by the fans that had got tickets. LFC lost their second European final in succession. Indeed they already knew that they would not be in European competition the following season either.
In all there were 18 return flights (incl the team’s), operated by a total of 14 different airlines, plus a handful of biz-jets/corporate twin operating out of LJLA. The airliners were restricted to just 4 type families, or 8 types and variants. Airliners utilised were registered in 9 Nationalities. Almost all flights operated into Basel/Mulhouse. One Transavia flight operated to and from Strasbourg (to get cheaper hotel accommodation?), while the corporate aircraft used Colmar.
FIRSTS AND LASTS
First out was the team plane, followed at 1013 on Tuesday 17th May by Transavia Boeing 737-800 PH-HZX to Strasbourg
Last out was the second run by Thomas Cook Airbus A.321 G-TCDX on Wednesday 18th at 1445, but there was a biz jet even later.
The team departed on Titan Airbus A.320 G-POWM on Monday 16th at 1709. They returned on Thursday 19th on Virgin Airbus A.330-30 G-VGBR at 1438.
First supporters returned on TUI Arkefly flight, operated by Blue Air Boeing 737-800 YR-BME at 0224 on Thursday 19th early hours.
Last flight back was either Transavia PH-HZN from Strasbourg at 1835 on 19th, or the third return flight of the day by Ryanair Boeing 737-800 EI-EML.
OPERATORS, TYPES AND REGISTRATIONS
Prefix Nationality Aircraft Types Code Operators used
9H- Malta Airbus A.319 AWC Titan Airways
EC- Spain Airbus A.320 ENT Enter Air
EI- Rep. of Ireland Airbus A.321 ENZ Jota Aviation
F- France Airbus A.330-300 GSW Germania
G- Great Britain Boeing 737-300 LLP Small Planet
HB- Switzerland Boeing 737-400 MLT Maleth
PH- Netherlands Boeing 737-800 RYR Ryanair
SP- Poland BAe. 146 TCX Thomas Cook
YR- Romania TFL TUI Arkefly
TRA Transavia
VIR Virgin
VLG Vueling
XLF XL France
Airline code Flights operated Aircraft, registrations and legs operated (return unless stated)
Jota ENZ 1 return flight BAe.146 G-SMLA
Thomas Cook TCX 2 return flights Airbus A.321 G-TCDX (x2 returns)
Titan Airways AWC 1 outbound only Airbus A.320 G-POWM (o/b only, with team)
Virgin VIR 1 inbound only Airbus A.330 G-VGBR (i/b only, with team)
Enter Air ENT 1 return flight Boeing 737-400 SP-ENA
Germania GSW 1 return flight Airbus A.319 HB-JOG
Maleth MLT 1 return flight Boeing 737-300 9H-AJW
Ryanair RYR 4 return flights Boeing 737-800 EI-FRI (2 x o/b), EI-DPB (2 x o/b), EI-FOC (i/b), EI-EML (3x i/b)
Small Planet LLP 1 return flight Airbus A.320 SP-HAB
Transavia TRA 2 return flights Boeing 737-800 PH-HZX (o/b), PH-HSG (1 return), PH-HZN (i/b)
TUI Arkefly TFL 1 return flight Boeing 737-800 YR-BME (Blue Air a/c on summer lease)
Vueling VLG 2 return flights Airbus A.320 EC-LML
XL France XLF 1 return flight Airbus A.330 F-HXLF
Also 4 executive aircraft:
London Exec. LNX G-FRYI King Air 200 (o/b), C-CIEL Citation 560XL (i/b)
Interflight IFT G-IFTF BAe.125-800B
Everjets EVJ CS-DTQ Phenom 300
Air Hamburg AHO D-CXLS Citation 560XLS.
A few further flights are thought to have operated from Manchester and London region.
