A Boeing 737-800, registered 9A-LAB and operated by Croatia’s ACMI specialist ETF Airways, sustained serious damage during a hailstorm in the Argentinian city of Cordoba on January 1. The severity of the impact has left the aircraft grounded ever since. The province of Cordoba experienced extreme weather conditions on New Year’s Day, with winds reaching up to seventy kilometres per hour, heavy rainfall and intense hail. The storm resulted in one fatality and caused widespread damage to vehicles and infrastructure, including disruptions to the electricity supply. Maintenance teams have since been working to restore the aircraft to service; however, the damage sustained has been extensive, significantly complicating efforts to return it to an airworthy condition.
ETF Airways has wet-leased its entire fleet of three Boeing 737-800 aircraft to low cost carrier Flybondi since December. All three jets are based in Cordoba, central Argentina, under an agreement that runs until the end of the southern hemisphere’s summer season in late March. ETF Airways has also recruited Spanish-speaking pilots to operate from the region. The absence of one aircraft since January 1, following the hailstorm damage, has created notable operational challenges for Flybondi, leading to a series of flight cancellations and delays across its network.
ETF Airways has previously faced misfortune with the aircraft in question. In 2021, the aircraft experienced a wildlife strike while landing at Bremen airport on a flight from Pristina. During the landing roll, a wild rabbit on or near the runway was sucked into one of the aircraft’s engines. The aircraft’s left engine suffered enough damage from the rabbit ingestion that it was considered unsafe to fly. That forced ETF Airways to replace the engine and ground the aircraft for about twelve days while repairs and leasing replacement aircraft were arranged. ETF Airways estimated the total cost of the incident, including engine replacement, repairs and leasing other planes to cover its schedule, at around one million euros. The airline’s CEO publicly accused Bremen Airport of negligence, saying wildlife was able to access the airfield because of holes in the perimeter fencing. ETF Airways announced intentions to seek compensation from the airport authority.
They really don't have luck with this plane
ReplyDeleteWow unlucky
ReplyDeleteApparently the damage is so extensive the plane might not fly again.
ReplyDeleteDoes the plane inshurance cover in situations like this?
ReplyDeleteYes, it is considered dqamage from a natural disaster.
DeleteReally bug bad luck for ETF.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they're properly insured, but the time that the claim is settled might create huge financial impact on a small company like ETF.
Wishing them the best.
This aircraft really seems to have bad luck. First the rabbit in Bremen, now severe hail damage in Argentina. Hopefully it will return to service soon but the costs must be substantial once again.
ReplyDeleteOperating three aircraft and losing one for over a month is a major blow, especially for an ACMI carrier
ReplyDeleteHail damage can be extremely serious, especially to the radome and control surfaces. If the structure was affected, repairs could take much longer than expected.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much of this will be covered by insurance and how much falls on the operator. Also, is there any protection for Flybondi in the wet-lease agreement in cases like this?
ReplyDeletethis aircraft has had quite a history :D
ReplyDeleteIf repairs stretch beyond March it could cause serious issues.
ReplyDeletecould it have been repositioned or better protected during the storm?
ReplyDelete