Germany
Dusseldorf Airport - Other European Carriers
This is an alphabetical list, country by country, of European airlines photographed during my visit to Dusseldorf in May 2019.
Bulgaria
Established in 2000, Bulgarian Air Charter began operations as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Aviation Service Group. It operates flights for several tour operators to destinations mostly in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Israel and Poland. The airline has its own maintenance unit which has capabilities on McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series and Boeing 737 Classic series aircraft covering airframe, engines and landing gear services and the overhaul of aircraft components. Initially the airline`s fleet comprised five Tupolev Tu-154s but in 2004 these were withdrawn from service and replaced with seven McDonnell Douglas MD-80s. By 2011 the Bulgarian Air Charter fleet had grown to 12 MD-80s and in September 2015 the first Airbus A320-200 was added. As of February 2019, 7 A320s and 9 MD-80s were in operation.
Please note that all my images are subject to copyright. They are not free to use and have been embedded with a digital watermark.
Croatia
Croatia Airlines is state-owned and the country’s flag carrier. It’s main base is Zagreb Airport with hubs at Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar. Since November 2004, the airline has been a member of Star Alliance. Airbus A319-112 9A-CTG was snapped on Sunday 5 May 2019.
Czech Republic
With its base at Václav Havel Airport, Prague, Czech Airlines operates an extensive network of scheduled passenger services within Eastern and Western Europe as well as to Northeast and Central Asia. The carrier also provides charter and cargo services. ATR 72-500 OK-GFR in SkyTeam livery visited Dusseldorf on 6 May 2019.
Denmark
Scandinavian Airlines, usually known as SAS, is the flag carrier of Sweden, Norway and Denmark, which together form part of Scandinavia. SAS is an abbreviation of the company's full name, Scandinavian Airlines System. Retro-liveried Airbus A319-132 OY-KBO, is seen here moments after lift-off from Runway 23L on Monday 6 May.
The airline's main hub is at Copenhagen-Kastrup Airport, with connections to 109 destinations around the world. Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (with 106 destinations) is the second largest hub and Oslo Airport, Gardermoen being the carrier`s third major hub. Minor hubs also exist at Bergen Airport, Flesland, Göteborg Landvetter Airport, Stavanger Airport, Sola, and Trondheim Airport, Værnes. SAS Cargo is an independent, wholly owned subsidiary of Scandinavian Airlines and its main office is at Copenhagen Airport. Most of the carrier`s airliners all bear either Swedish, Norwegian or Danish registrations.
Danish regional airline Sun Air of Scandinavia currently operates scheduled services as a franchise of British Airways using their name and corporate design as `British Airways - operated by SUN-AIR of Scandinavia A/S`, using a fleet of 14 Dornier Do-328JET-310s including OY-NCI, seen here taxiing to stand after landing on Monday 6 May. The carrier which has its main base at Billund Airport also offers charter flights, air taxi services, specialist aerial work and aircraft brokerage.
Finland
Above: Finnair Embraer ERJ-190LR OH-LKE lifts-off on 4.5.2019.
France
HOP! is the full-service regional airline of Air France, combining Air France Regional, Airlinair and Brit Air. The carrier operates inter-regional routes in France and Europe with a fleet of aircraft seating 48-100 passengers each. HOP! operates over 500 daily services to over 130 destinations from Paris Orly and Paris Charles de Gaulle. On 01 February 2019, Air France announced plans to market commercial branding on routes operated by HOP! under the new brand name Air France HOP.
Greece
Aegean Airlines Group is a Greek-based airline operator comprised of parent company, Aegean Airlines and its subsidiary, Olympic Air. Aegean is a full-service carrier operating international, domestic and charter services, while Olympic is a regional carrier that provides purely domestic services. Both airline brands operate from Aegean Airlines Group's main hub at Athens International Airport.
Aegean Aviation was established as Aegean Airlines in May 1999, transforming the charter into a full service carrier and replacing Olympic Air as the country's flagship airline. Olympic Air, previously known as Olympic Airlines, was a privately held airline operator owned by the Marfin Investment Group. However, Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air shareholders agreed to merge and create a new airline entity in February 2010. The European Commission cleared the merger in October 2013 and the two brands remain intact with each carrier maintaining their distinct fleet and flight operations.
This rather poor record shot of Orange2fly Airbus A320-232 SX-KAT was taken from my departing Loganair jet as it taxied toward the runway for takeoff on Monday 6 May. This airline was founded in September 2015 by former staff of SkyGreece Airlines and received its first airliner, an Airbus A320, in July 2016, beginning operations in September of that year. Orange2fly is headquartered at Athens International Airport and offers wet lease, charter and ad hoc flights.
Iceland
Boeing 757-208(WL) TF-FIN. Saturday 4 May 2019.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland`s national carrier Aer Lingus was represented by Airbus A320-214s EI-GAL, EI-DEF and EI-DEP. Several Ryanair 737s were also photographed over the weekend.
Italy
Alitalia, a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance, is Italy's national carrier and is based in the capital, Rome. Alitalia operates an extensive network of domestic and regional services throughout Italy and Europe, in addition to international long-haul services to North America, South America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The Etihad Aviation Group holds a 49% stake in the carrier, whilst Compagnie Aerea Italia owns a 51% stake via MIDCO SpA. Pictured above and bearing the Irish registration, is Embraer ERJ-175STD EI-RDF of Alitalia Cityliner. EI-RDI and EI-RDM also called in. Alitalia CityLiner is the regional subsidiary of Alitalia. Established in June 2006, the carrier operates from its hub at Rome Fiumicino Airport to regional airports across Italy. The carrier operates a fleet of Embraer and ATR aircraft.
Latvia
airBaltic is the flag carrier of Latvia, with its HQ at Riga International Airport and further bases at Tallinn Airport and Vilnius Airport. As of May 2019 the airline operates a fleet of 39 aircraft made up of Airbus A320s, Boeing 737s, Airbus A220s and Dash 8s. Airbus A220-300 YL-CSF is seen here coming in to land on Sunday 5 May.
Malta
The only Maltese aircraft seen over the weekend was Air Malta Airbus A320-214 9H-AEP which appeared on Sunday 5 May 2019.
Montenegro
Montenegro in Southeast Europe lies on the Adriatic Sea. It borders Bosnia & Herzegovina to the northwest; Serbia and Kosovo to the east, Albania to the south and Croatia to the west. Montenegro Airlines, the national carrier, currently operates just 5 aircraft; a trio of Embraer ERJ-195s including 40-AOC, seen here, and a pair of Fokker F70/F100s. The airline`s HQ is located in the capital, Podgorica.
The Netherlands
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the flag carrier airline of the Netherlands. Founded in 1919, KLM is the oldest airline in the world still operating under its original name and as 2015 had 35,488 employees and a fleet of 119 aircraft. The carrier operates scheduled passenger and cargo services to 145 destinations but being so close to the German border, most flights to Dusseldorf are operated by the Embraer commuter jets of KLM Cityhopper.
Norway
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, trading as Norwegian, is a Norwegian low-cost airline and Norway's largest airline. It is the third largest low-cost carrier in Europe behind easyJet and Ryanair and the ninth-largest low-cost airline in the world. It offers a high-frequency domestic flight schedule within Scandinavia and Finland, and to business destinations such as London, as well as to holiday destinations in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands, transporting over 30 million people in 2016. The airline is known for its distinctive livery of white with a red nose, with portraits of distinguished Scandinavians on the tail fins of its aircraft.
Norwegian launched its long-haul operation in May 2013. The long-haul flights are operated by fully owned subsidiaries: Norway-based Norwegian Long Haul, Ireland-based Norwegian Air International, and United Kingdom-based Norwegian Air UK. Additional short-haul flights are operated by Norwegian Air International and Argentina-based Norwegian Air Argentina. Each airline holds a unique air operator's certificate (AOC) but shares branding and commercial functions with the rest of the Group.
Poland
LOT Polish Airlines, is Poland’s national airline having been established on 29 December 1928. This makes it one of the world's oldest airlines still in operation. With a fleet of 81 aircraft, LOT flies to 131 destinations across Europe, Asia and North America. Among the carriers current fleet of 70 aircraft are 16 Embraer ERJ-170s and 16 Embraer ERJ-195LR, two of which, SP-LNG and SP-LNI, are shown here.
Portugal
TAP - Air Portugal Airbus A320-214 CS-TNJ above, with A319-111 CS-TTK below.
Romania
Bucharest-based Just Us Air commenced operations in early 2018, initially with a single plane, namely 2008-manufactured Airbus A319-132 YR-URS. Airbus A320-232 YR-DSI and A321-231 YR-NTS joined soon after, bringing the total fleet strength to three. The newly-launched carrier`s aircraft are available for short notice ACMI and wet / damp lease operations, series flights, and ad-hoc charter services. Just Us Air will be works in close partnership with UK-based Chapman Freeborn Airchartering who provide the airline with commercial and operational support.
Russia & Ukraine
Aeroflot is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation. The carrier is an open joint stock company that operates domestic and international passenger and services, mainly from its hub at Sheremetyevo International Airport. Aeroflot is one of the oldest airlines in the world, tracing its history back to 1923. During the Soviet era, Aeroflot was the Soviet national airline and the largest airline in the world but following the dissolution of the USSR, the carrier has been transformed from a state-run enterprise into a semi-privatised company. Even so, Aeroflot is still considered the de facto national airline of Russia and is 51%-owned by the Russian Government. The company has embarked on a fleet modernisation programme, extensive route restructuring and an image overhaul. The airline joined SkyTeam in April 2006, becoming the 10th member of the alliance.
Rossiya Airlines, also known as Rossiya-Russian Airlines, is 75% owned by Aeroflot and has its HQ at Pulkovo Airport in Saint Petersburg with additional hubs at Moscow Vnukovo International Airport, Rostov-on-Don Airport and Orenburg Tsentralny Airport. As of June 2019, Rossiya Airlines` 62 aircraft-strong fleet comprised 21 Airbus A319 and 6 A320s, 16 Boeing 737-800s, 9 Boeing 747s and 10 Triple-sevens. Boeing 737-86N(WL) VQ-BAU is shown here.
Above: Airbus A319-111 VQ-BAU snapped from the Viewing Deck at Dusseldorf on 4 May 2019. VP-BIU (below) was back on the 6th.
Above: S7 Airbus A321-271N VQ-BGU photographed from my hotel room on 4 May 2019. S7-Siberian Airlines, legally PJSC Siberia Airlines, is headquartered in Ob, Novosibirsk Oblast, Siberia, with offices in Moscow. As of 2008, it is Russia's biggest domestic airline, with its main bases at Domodedovo International Airport and Tolmachevo Airport. As of November 2008, all Soviet-made aircraft had left the fleet which now comprises exclusively of Western types, namely Airbus A319, A320 and A321s, Boeing 737s and Embraer E-170s.
Left: An Azur Air Boeing 767 on short finals. This Russian charter and former regional airline currently operates a total of eleven 767s along with four Triple-sevens, eight 757s and six Boeing 737s. It now mainly serves the leisure market but with some domestic destinations. In February 2018, the Russian aviation authority warned Azur Air that its operational licence would be suspended if it did not resolve alleged safety violations. Russian tourism agency Rozturizm advised tour operators to not sell tickets for Azur Air flights until further notice but the carrier addressed all the issues giving concern and was back in action by 20 March 2018. |
Ukrainian carrier Yanair is headquartered in Kiev, and based at Kyiv International Airport (Zhuliany). Maintenance for the company's fleet, currently made up of five Boeing 737s and a single Airbus A321-112 UR-COJ, is provided at Zhytomyr Airport. These shots of the latter aircraft pushing back from its stand on the western apron were taken from my room at the Maritim Hotel.
Ukraine International Airlines, usually shortened to UIA, is the country`s flag carrier and largest airline and has its head office in Kiev. It operates domestic and international passenger flights and cargo services to Europe, the Middle East, the United States, Canada, and Asia. At the time of my visit to Dusseldorf the UIA fleet comprised of 28 Boeing 737s, 4 Boeing 767s, 3 Boeing 777s and 7 Embraer ERJ-190s.
Serbia
Formerly known as JAT Airways, Serbia's national airline was rebranded as Air Serbia in August 2013 when Etihad Airways acquired a minority stake from Serbia's Government. Originally established in 1927, it is one of the world's oldest operating airlines. Air Serbia operates extensive services within Europe, the Middle East and Africa and provides charter services through subsidiary, Aviolet as well as wet lease services from its base at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport.
Spain
Spanish carriers were represented by Iberia, Air Europa Express and Thomas Cook Balearics.
Below: The Spanish regional airline Air Europa Express is a subsidiary of Globalia (which is also the parent company of Air Europa). The intention is to have Air Europa grow and operate long-haul flights with Air Europa Express tasked with short haul and regional routes. The `Express` airline is not a part of Air Europa and was founded in Spain in 1996 as Aeronova and flew scheduled and charter flights on behalf of other companies. Aeronova also had a school offering training for pilots on the two types the airline flew, the ATR 42 and the Fairchild SA-227 Metro.
Air Europa Express is Globalia's third attempt at creating a regional subsidiary. The first was another airline with the same name which collapsed in 2001 while a second airline known as Universal Airlines never commenced operations. Air Europa Express commenced operations on 11 January 2016 with two daily flights between Valencia and Madrid and one daily flight between Valencia and Palma de Malorca. as of April 2019 the Air Europa Express fleet consists of 8 ATR 72-500s and 11 Embraer ERJ-195LRs including EC-LFZ, seen here.
Left: Air Europa Boeing 737-85P(WL) EC-MPS. This carrier is the third-largest Spanish airline after Iberia and Vueling and is headquartered in Majorca with bases at Madrid–Barajas Airport, Barcelona Airport and Palma de Mallorca Airport. |
Wamos Air, formerly Pullmantur Air, is a Spanish airline headquartered in Madrid. It mostly operates leisure charter flights, several of them on behalf of sister company Pullmantur Cruises from its main base at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport. As of 2016, it is 81% owned by Springwater Capital and 19% owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. As of May 2019, the carrier`s fleet comprises 6 Airbus A330s and 6 Boeing 747s.
Switzerland
Swiss International Air Lines AG, stylised as SWISS, is the national airline of Switzerland, operating scheduled services throughout Europe and to North America, South America, Africa and Asia. The airline was formed following the bankruptcy in 2002 of Swissair, Switzerland's then flag carrier. The new airline was built around what had been Swissair's regional subsidiary, Crossair. Bombardier CSeries CS300 (Airbus A220-300) HB-JBA, HB-JCH, HB-JCN and HB-JCP all called in at Dusseldorf over the weekend of my visit.
Helvetic Airways is based at Zurich International Airport and focuses on holiday markets that aren`t served by other carriers. Its 11 Embraer ERJ-190s, including HB-JVR seen here, fly to destinations in Germany, Croatia, Macedonia and Italy while a pair of Fokker F100s are available for private and corporate charter.
Turkey
Just a few weeks prior to my visit, Turkish Airlines successfully transferred its operations to Istanbul Airport from the city`s Ataturk facility which remains open for cargo, maintenance, corporate and general aviation flights. The carrier had been based at Ataturk Airport since it began operations in 1933, initially with two Curtiss Kingbirds, a pair of Junkers F13s, and a ten-seat Tupolev ANT-9. Currently Turkish Airlines` fleet comprises 292 aircraft including 91 Boeing 737s, 73 Airbus A321s, and 65 A330s, including A330-343 TC-JNO `Boğaziçi` pictured below.
Between 02:00 and 14:00 hrs on Saturday 6 April 2019, following the last departure from Ataturk, both major airports were closed to all passenger flights while more than 100 of the carrier`s airliners flew north to the new site. The distance between Istanbul Airport and Atatürk Airport is approximately 22 miles (35 km). Meanwhile, around 700 trucks transported 47,000 tons of ground handling equipment to the new base. Turkish Airlines Airbus A321 TC-JSY had the distinction of making the first scheduled flight out of the new facility when it took off bang-on 2 o`clock for Ankara. Prior to the move, Ataturk Airport was one of the busiest in Europe but the rising volume of traffic was increasingly causing problems, hence the construction of the new complex.
Below: Turkish Airlines Airbus A320-232 TC-JPS in Star Alliance livery put in an appearance on Sunday 5 May...
Pegasus Airlines is a low-cost airline with bases at several Turkish airports. At first glance, I can`t help thinking the the large title on the fuselage reads `FlyPigs.com`, a rather unfortunate name for an airline!
Boeing 737-82R(WL) TC-CPN`s special livery was painted by Ada E, aged 9, who won the airline`s “World’s Most Wonderful Gift” competition. As well as seeing her design adorning a full-sized airliner, she also received a desktop model of the aircraft in identical colours.
Corendon Airlines was founded in 2004 with flights starting in April 2005 and as of March 2019, the carrier operates scheduled flights from its base at Antalya Airport to 20 cities in Germany and Switzerland. It also operates seasonal charter flights to Iran in Asia and more destinations throughout Europe. The Dutch sister company Corendon Dutch Airlines was founded in 2011 with a Maltese sister company, Corendon Airlines Europe founded in 2017.
Onur Air is a low-cost Turkish airline which operates mostly domestic scheduled services, as well as a wide range of charter flights out of its base at Istanbul Airport. Onur Air was established on 14 April 1992 and operated mainly from Atatürk Airport before relocating to the new Istanbul Airport when it opened on 6 April 2019, `Onur`means proud, self-esteem in Turkish.
Onur Air`s all-white Airbus A321-200 LY-NVU is leased from Avion Express. Airbus A320-233 TC-ODC (below left), snapped on Sunday 5 May, has a special livery promoting international commercial catering equipment supplier GGM Gastro.
SunExpress was established in October 1989 and began operations in April 1990 with a charter service between Antalya and Frankfurt. The airline was founded as a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and the Lufthansa Group/Condor Flugdienst. In 1995, the Lufthansa Group transferred its SunExpress shares to Condor. All tourist flights operate under a single unit. In February 2007, all Condor shares were retaken by the Lufthansa Group as Condor was acquired by Thomas Cook AG (now Thomas Cook Group). As of April 2019, the SunExpress fleet consists of 45 Boeing 737-800s with a number of Boeing 737 Max 8s on order, however, following the worldwide grounding of the latter type following two fatal crashes this may be reviewed.
Tailwind Airlines Boeing 737-4Q8 TC-TLA. Saturday 4 May 2019. TC-TLD was noted on the 5th.