Adria Airways A320, S5-AAA, 1989 - 2010
Adria Airways has farewelled its final Airbus A320 which operated its last revenue flight on September 11, 2010 from Tirana to its hub, Ljubljana. The 21 year old aircraft, registered S5-AAA, was delivered from Airbus to Adria on May 16, 1989 under the registration YU-AOA. It was the 43rd A320 to be made by Airbus and the first to be powered by the new IAE Engines. Over the years, the aircraft was leased to several airlines, most recently the Libyan Afriqiyah Airways. The aircraft returned to the Adria fleet for the last time in November 2009. The aircraft has now been stored at Ljubljana Airport and is waiting to be scrapped.Adria now has a fleet of 13 aircraft (six CRJ200s, four CRJ900s, two A319s and one CRJ100), with one order each for the CRJ900 and Airbus A319, which have replaced the aging A320s. Adria chose the A319s as a replacement for the A320s because the aircraft belong to the same category as the Airbus A320, which means the pilots, the cabin crew and the technical personnel needed no additional training. Furthermore, Adria explains that the new aircraft are more economical and environmentally friendly and are consistent with the carbon dioxide emission standard that steps into force in 2011.
What about the CRJ100 and 1 CRJ200 which were scheduled to leave in Sep 2010 as well?
ReplyDeleteLeaving of CRJ100 has been postponed till july 2011.Adria is expected to fly for Cirrus airlines with one CRJ200.
ReplyDeleteWhat routes will Adria do for Cirrus? Can they make money flying in Germany?
ReplyDeleteWhen does the 5th CR9 enters the fleet. And the 3rd A319?
ReplyDeleteThe CRJ900 NextGen in 2011 and A319-132 in 2012. ;)
ReplyDeleteSad to see the final A320 go. They have served JP a good 2 decades :)
ReplyDeleteEnd of an era, these planes have served JP well.
ReplyDeleteWith S5-AAAs departure, does it make OUs A320s the largest-capacity aircraft in service across the exYU?
I remember 1996 flying LJU-CDG on DC-9 and then coming back on A320. I was so amazed by how spacious and quiet A320 was compared to DC-9. Back then Adria's fleet consisted of A320s, DC-9s and DH-4s. A320s served Adria very well, especially with all the charter flights. I think the longest charter flight they used their A320 for, was the one from LJU to Tenerife. The flight is about 4hrs long and probably the max range for their A320.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely going to miss those birds.
@sam
ReplyDeleteHi Sam, JP used to fly Charters to Mahe, Seychelles, that was back in the early 90s...I think that was the longest route they had with A320 V2500 engines.
Regarding Cirrus.. i have seen in the summer months Adria operating flights for LH with the CRJ200. I think that s exactly what's needed. If some Star Alliance Carriers such as JP or OU have overcapacity during winter months, they should check with LH,OS or others if they can make use of it.
Looking forward to the 5th CR9, I like them, it s a relaxed flying and they have comfortable seats
Did u hear about Swiss? Will get 5 new A330-300, 2 A321 and 2 A320..
bringing up widebody fleet to 31 units... Swiss will open new intercontinental destinations, but no info yet which ones.
@ JU520
ReplyDeleteI am assuming they had to make a stop on its way to Mahe. I still can't believe they used its A319 for the charter flight to JNB :)
Yes, I've heard about Swiss getting new A333s. It's part of the big LH order from Airbus. They will keep 2 or 3 A333s for themselves while nothing for Austrian. I thought they would be more in need to renew their fleet as they still fly some old Fokkers and their transatlantic fleet looks pretty old too. Maybe LH will get new 787s for them once they come out :)
@ Sam & JU520
ReplyDeleteI think the flight you were discussing took place in 1990 when an Adria Airways' A320 flew non-stop from the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean to Athens in Greece and with that set a new record for the longest flight ever made by the A320 at that time.