MALTA (LUQA) AIRPORT (MLA) Late September 2023.
Oct 5, 2023 15:46:12 GMT 1
Beemer, northbynorthwest, and 6 more like this
Post by viscount on Oct 5, 2023 15:46:12 GMT 1
MALTA/LUQA (MLA), Log for FRIDAY, 21st September 2023.
During the week-end we saw all 8 aircraft in the Air Malta fleet, plus another being operated by them short-term. Air Malta is due to withdraw from airline operations in November and resume under a new name early in 2024. Air Malta have during many decades built a great reputation in the industry and with passengers and have certainly been undermined by competition from Ryanair, to the extent of them forming an airline with essentially the same name, Malta Air and incorporating similar colours and motifs in the colour scheme too.
AIR MALTA: 3 x A.320s 9H-AEP, 9H-AHS (which is all white, with small airline titles) and 9H-MLD (short term leased-in, also all white, but no titles/logo).
Along with 6 x A.320neos: 9H-NEB, 9H-NEC, 9H-NED, 9H-NEE, 9H-NEF and 9H-NEO.
RYANAIR/MALTA AIR: Numerous 9H- and EI- registered aircraft seen, although just the one SP- from their large fleet.
The logs are all other aircraft identified. While Luqa is a busy airport, there are long periods between movements at times. However the bright
clear conditions with a great viewing point over and through the fencing opposite the terminal, with the sun over your shoulder makes for great photos. Some airlines appear most days eg British Airways, Lufthansa, Wizzair, Air France, ITA, Emirates, Turkish and Vueling, others only on particular days of the week. Surprisingly only noted EasyJet UK on a daily basis, not a single EasyJet Europe seen by us. Aircraft covered in the air display reports not included.
AIRCRAFT NOTED DURING FRIDAY 21st September 2023
9H-CTG DHC-8-102 Dash Eight Universal Air, all white, air test. Formerly PH-SDH Schreiner & 9H-AEW Medavia.
9H-LWA DHC-8-Q402 Dash Eight Luxwings titles, outside Medavia hangar. Interestingly, was at one time G-JEDT with Flybe.
9H-WAU Airbus A.321-271NX Wizzair
A6-EGW Boeing 777-31HER Emirates
D-AIEA Airbus A.321-271NX Lufthansa
D-ALEU Boeing 757-23NF DHL Cargo
EC-NYD Airbus A.321-271NX Vueling, special logo scheme
EI-HOD Airbus A.320-272N ITA, blue scheme
G-EZBZ Airbus A.319-111 EasyJet UK
G-EZWU Airbus A.320-214 EasyJet UK
HB-JVN Embraer ERJ-190ER Helvetic
N613LF Gulfstream 550 departed
OE-IAY Boeing 737-4Q8 ASL Airlines, white with titles/logo
SX-PTM Embraer ERJ-190SR Air Serbia, white with large airline name
TC-JYJ Boeing 737-9F2ER Turkish Airlines
TS-LBF ATR-72-600 (212A) Tunisair Express
T-752 Challenger 604 Swiss Air Force, arrived and departed
AS 1026 Beech B200 King Air Armed Forces of Malta
OE-IAY Boeing 737F of ASL Airlines making its way down to the freight apron, way down at the west end of the airport.
9H-VUI Boeing 737 MAX8 of Ryanair/Malta Air. The aircraft being Malta based, as I had flown in on it the evening before.
This DHL Cargo Boeing 757 D-ALEU also disappeared down to the freight apron at the west end of the Airport
9H-WAU Airbus A.320neo of Wizzair
TC-JYJ is a Boeing 737-900 series of Turkish Airlines.
The usual full Air Malta scheme, seen here on 9H-NEB - to me one of the more attractive airline schemes to be seen around Europe.
EC-NEE, Airbus A.320neo of Air Malta. This one is unusual as it is the only A.320neo of Air Malta in a partial scheme, with the yellow and blue art-work around the rear fuselage omitted.
Another variation on Air Malta's colours, this time an earlier Airbus A.320ceo 9H-AHS as a 'polar bear' with small Air Malta titles behind the cockpit.
The Romanian Antonov An-26 1810 arriving.
Inside the Medavia hangar complex from outside the fence could be seen with Luxwings DHC-8-Q402 Dash Eight 9H-LWA. At one time this was G-JEDT with Flybe.
Another arrival for the air display static on the Medavia apron was this colourful Italian Agusta AW.139CP of the Guardia Costiera.
In connection with the air display, this Swiss Air Force Challenger 601 T-752 arrived and departed.
Gulfstream 550 N613LF departing
TS-LBF ATR-72-600 of Tunis air Express. Arabic one side, English on the other.
Largest passenger aircraft seen by far, is this daily Emirates Boeing 777, here A6-EGW being turned-around.
EC-NYD an Airbus A.321NX of Vueling. If your Spanish is not up to the translation, from French it is "Who said the rooster can't fly?". So, I'm none the wiser actually, I certainly have never said that!
G-EZWU Airbus A.320 of EasyJet UK. From observation it appears they only operate three Malta routes, from Gatwick, Manchester and East Midlands. Not a single EasyJet Europe aircraft seen by us and just a single EasyJet Swiss aircraft. Far less than I anticipated.
Embraer ERJ-195 HB-JVN of Helvetic Airlines.
Through glass from the Airport's roof balcony, Air Serbia's titles on ERJ-190 with Greek registration SX-PTM.
