Hi

The charterer of the Switzerland based Hello Airlines coloured Britishjet MD90, HB-JIB was Malta Bargins Holidays. They has decided not renew the lease on the aircraft and crews. They will now take seats on Extra and New regional Air Malta flights. See the following press release from the Air Malta website dated. from November 2007.

http://www.airmalta.com/newsdetails?l=&n=91

Air Malta Expands its Operations to the UK 16/11/2007

Air Malta is expected to expand considerably its operations to the UK after successfully concluding a commercial deal with Malta Bargain Holidays.

Since 2004, Malta Bargain Holidays leased and operated a McDonnell Douglas MD90 aircraft that was owned and flown by Hello of Basel, Switzerland under the brand name, British Jet. Since the aircraft lease was about to expire, Malta Bargain entered into talks with Air Malta for the provision of air transportation to its customers. Both companies have now reached an agreement that will see Air Malta becoming Malta Bargain Holidays’ new aircraft transport provider.

This deal has been described as a win-win agreement by Air Malta and Malta Bargain Holidays that will also benefit the local tourism industry and economy. This agreement is expected to considerably increase Air Malta’s operations to London Gatwick Airport and other regional airports in the UK. Air Malta will thus be announcing new scheduled frequencies to the UK in the coming weeks, after slot approvals from the respective airports.

The new Air Malta operations coupled with the airline’s existing schedule and charter network from the UK are expected to be also positively received by Malta Bargain Holiday’s customers. Since Malta Bargain Holidays has chosen Air Malta as its exclusive air transport supplier, this will result in an added benefit to the Maltese economy in that there will be no foreign exchange leakages.

Air Malta is the only airline really committed to sustain both the incoming and the outgoing tourism industry. This agreement continues to show the commitment Air Malta has to the Malta route that will not only benefit the Maltese community but also to the thousands of UK tourists who visit Malta and Gozo every year.

Hi

THE NORTHWEST LOW COST AIR WAR HAS STARTED.

Following on from Easyjets announcement today Ryanair are now at it. Well thats According to radio merseyside.

Ryanair have called news conferences in both liverpool and manchester tomorrow (18/12) “to announce their largest ever expansion”.

RYANAIR, Europe’s largest budget airline, is set to announce a major expansion of its Manchester services.

The move by the Irish carrier comes hours after MEN Business broke the news that easyJet will begin operating out of Manchester early next year.

Dublin-based Ryanair, led by the charismatic and outspoken Michael O’Leary, currently operates flights to Dublin and Shannon from Manchester.

It is understood that the airline will be doubling the number of flights and launching new destinations in the coming months.

After the sale of BA’s Manchester-based regional airline BA Connect to low cost carrier Flybe this year, Manchester has become a major battleground for budget airlines.

In addition to exsisting players Flybe, Jet2, and bmibaby, the addition of easyJet and the expansion of Ryanair, will give passengers huge choice and should lead to ultra-competitive pricing.

Hi

This summer’s charter based bmi british midland, Airbus A320 aircraft will not be returning to LBA next summer 2008. This is due to bmi not being able to spare an aircraft for charter ops next year as all the Airbus fleet will be needed at the Heathrow.

It has been rumoured else where that Thomas Cook could be basing one of the Ex Manchester based My Travel, A320 aircraft for next summers LBA operations. Some of Thomas Cook own ageing A320’s will be retired this winter and 2 of the my travel A320’s will be freed up by one of the My Travel B767 which will go onto short haul high density routes next summer from MAN.

The flight crew will be dual based between LBA & MAN while the cabin crew will be solely based at LBA .

Also doing the rounds at the moment are that an Iberworld A320 could maybe leased in to help out next summer for TCX along with other airlines been mentioned. Astraeus and Monarch.

Any one know why G-LSAC is listed as an 75E had a passenger ask me about it today at work.

Cant see Jet2 upgrading to 738s for a while yet them things must be expensive and let us not forget Jet2 are still newcomers to the low cost aspect of the industry. There 733s are doing nicely at the moment from NCL aswell as the 757s.

The E in B75E stands for Etops rated Boeing 757.

Well its all change for Leeds/Bradford Airport this summer.

Thomsonfly are not baseing an aircraft at LBA as they have pulled there base. Last year we had one of there B757-200.

Astraeus have also up and Left LBA as well. Last Year we had one of the Boeing 737-700NGs here. For this year the based My Travel programme will now be operated by a BMI British Midland, Airbus A320.

Apparently it is now CELO/R based at EDI, and Jet2 have ZAPZ on lease from Titan at STN, where CELZ is I don’t know.

Hi

I can tell you where Jet2’s Edinburgh based Boeing 737-3QC G-CELZ is at the moment. She is currently sat in the multiflight hanger at Jet2’s home base at Leeds/Bradford Airport under going maintenance. She arrived here at LBA sometime on Sunday.

Hope that helps you out.

Well here’s the current situation at Leeds Bradford Airport.

KL1549 AMSTERDAM 1610 FLIGHT DIVERTED TEESIDE
BD406 EDINBURGH 1705 FLIGHT DIVERTED TEESIDE
BD496 PARIS CDG 1705 FLIGHT DIVERTED TEESIDE
BD614 BRUSSELS 1710 FLIGHT DIVERTED TEESIDE
LS196 PRAGUE 1710 FLIGHT DIVERTED TEESIDE
LS266 MALAGA 1720 FLIGHT DIVERTED DONCASTER
LS272 ALICANTE 1720 FLIGHT DIVERTED TEESIDE
BD295 GLASGOW 1725 FLIGHT DIVERTED TEESIDE
BPS302 ISLE OF MAN 1735 FLIGHT DIVERTED BLACKPOOL
BD418 HEATHROW 1755 CANCELLED
BE175 SOUTHAMPTON 19:10 LANDED 19:20
LS232 BARCELONA 1915 LANDED 20:17
WOW486 BRISTOL 1935 LANDED 20:30
BE733 BELFAST CITY 1945 LANDED 20:25
BD408 EDINBURGH 1950 CANCELLED
LS328 BELFAST INTL 2000 DELAYED
T34716 ABERDEEN 2010 INDEFINITE DELAY
BD297 GLASGOW 2015 CANCELLED
T34707 SOUTHAMPTON 2025 CANCELLED
BD616 BRUSSELS 2045 CANCELLED
BD498 PARIS CDG 2100 CANCELLED
LS206 AMSTERDAM 2100 DELAYED
KL1543 AMSTERDAM 2105
LS348 DUSSELDORF 2130 DELAYED
BD420 HEATHROW 2145
FR156 DUBLIN 2205
TOM6164 TENERIFE 2210 EXPECTED 22:06
LS224 TENERIFE 2340 EXPECTED 00:28