When I used to live in Spain we used to use an airline called “Viva”. They had a green stripe down the side of their aircraft, Alitalia, and on the tail there was a swirlly sun. Does anyone know what happened to them. I was too young to know what planes they operated but I would have though something like, B757,B737,B727 etc and those sizes would be closest. I never saw them after a while, must have been 5 years ago since I last heard of them. I am not sure which airports they used but I know they used Alicante and Valencia, we used to fly with them instead of Iberia to LHR. Anyone have any info?
Thanks,
Mark
By: Hand87_5 - 17th April 2002 at 10:41
RE: Viva Air
Yes , I flew once with them from ORY to Malaga. Great airline I agree.
By: keltic - 16th April 2002 at 22:13
RE: Viva Air
Well hard and sad story. LH and IB founded Viva as a cooperation and initially a charter airline to take germans to the spanish coasts. They used B737-300 with a livery which resambled to painter Joan Miro ones. LH and IB had problems, germans where too strict for anarquic Iberia, so LH sold his stake to Iberia. Then Iberia didn´t know what to do with VIVA, initially as Iberia charter branch and then as a Low Cost (one of the first in Europe), so some Iberia flights and destinations which where no cost effective where transfered to VIVA. But Iberia pilots, were really upset their partners ar VIVA got more and more IB flights and complained. At the end and due that Iberia pilots do whatever they like and in a way rule the airline got what they wanted and closed VIVA and crews were integrated in Iberia. They also used DC-9 from Aviaco (domestic airline, bellonging to the same group as Iberia) for inter islands hops in the Canary Islands. I remember flying VIVA because they operated the flight from here SCQ to LGW and the service was spectacular and meals quite good. Crews were dressed in smart green and black clours and hat (like London bobbies). Great airline.
By: dan330 - 16th April 2002 at 21:40
RE: Viva Air
I remember Viva Air quite well. Their livery with the sun on the tail was designed by school kids I think I remember reading. Anyway, they did operate flights into LHR and may have done a few charters as well, I remember seeing them a lot in Lanzarote.
They used and all 737-300 fleet and were a subsidiary of Iberia I think. A few years ago they were merged into Iberia and all the 737’s were repainted into Iberia colours. A pretty similar story to Aviaco who used to fly around Spain alot, but they too have been merged into Iberia.
This is off the top of my head, I can perhaps find a bit more info if you like.
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April 16, 2002 at 9:19 pm