6 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2017
News Review • Europe
LOT Heads
for Hungary
WARSAW-BASED flag carrier LOT Polish
Airlines has outlined plans to launch
long-haul services from Budapest. The
year-round links – four-times weekly to
New York and twice-weekly to Chicago- are due to be introduced in May and
will be the first direct services from the
Hungarian capital to the US since 2011.
They will be operated by a Boeing
787 Dreamliner permanently based at
Budapest/Ferenc Liszt.
“More than 165,000 passengers travel
between Budapest and New York and
Chicago every year,” LOT CEO Rafał
Milczarski explained. “Today, they
change mainly in Frankfurt, Paris,
Amsterdam and London, which makes
their journey considerably longer.
“We believe the inhabitants of Budapest
and the neighbouring areas should be
offered a better product, so we’ve
decided to introduce direct flight
connections between Hungary
and the USA.”
The CEO added: “Our strategy assumes
taking up every business opportunity
and we cannot waste such potential.”
Neos for Novair
SWEDISH CHARTER operator Novair
has received its first Airbus A321neo.
The CFM Leap-1A-powered jet,
SE-RKA (c/n 7746), was handed over in
late June and is being leased from Air
Lease Corporation (ALC). It is config-
ured in a 221-seat, single-class layout.“This aircraft is the first of two new
A321neos ALC is leasing to Swedish
carrier Novair, and we welcome them
as a new customer in the ALC family,”
said Steven F Udvar-Hazy, Executive
Chairman of Air Lease Corporation.
Novair is basing the aircraft inStockholm and will use it on charter
flights from Sweden, Denmark and
Norway to destinations in southern
Europe and Egypt. The jet joins A
G-POWI (c/n 2791), which Novair is
currently leasing from Titan Airways.
(Photo Airbus)More Dreamliners
for Air Europa
AIR EUROPA has agreed long-term
leases on four new Boeing 787-
Dreamliners. The Rolls-Royce Trent
1000-powered jets, to be acquired from
BOC Aviation, are the first -9 variants
for both the Spanish airline and the
lessor and will be delivered to the
carrier in 2019.
“We’re pleased to begin a partnership
with Air Europa, a new European
customer, and to support its fleet
growth and expansion plans,” saidRobert Martin, MD and CEO of BOC
Aviation. “We’re delighted to add the
Rolls-Royce powered Boeing 787-
aircraft to our portfolio.
“This order is the company’s first for
a Trent 1000 engine, demonstrating
our confidence in these fuel-efficient
engines that deliver impressive
performance.”
Air Europa currently operates eight of the
smaller 787-8s, but plans to increase its
Dreamliner fleet to 24 by 2022.The Joshua Tree
Having previously carried Guns N’ Roses, JetMagic’s Boeing 757-23A, 9H-AVM (c/n 24527), has taken on special markings promoting another rock band, U2. The aircraft is supporting the
Irish musicians across the European legs of The Joshua Tree tour, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of their 1987 album of the same name. AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/JAVI SANCHEZ UTZETBlast from the Past
TAP Portugal has painted Airbus A330-343 CS-TOV (c/n 1006) in a striking retro livery
as part of the carrier’s 72nd anniversary celebrations. The jet was used for a special
1970s-themed flight from Lisbon to Toronto on July 17, which included period-specific cabin
crew uniforms, aircraft interior, meals and in-flight entertainment – including classic films
and a ‘golden oldies’ music channel. ALESSANDRO IGLESIAS VIA RENATO FONSECA