uK Airlines and the 737

[atuk]

Wind the clock back to 1968 when the 737-200 entered service with Britannia Airways in the days when the inclusive tour industry benchmark aircraft was the BAC 1-11 400; the series 500 didn’t enter service until the end of the decade.

As Boeing improved the aircraft performance the series 200 Advanced allowed improved performance with a higher payload and longer range. Britannia Airways was later joined by other operators who found the 737-200 ideal for their needs: Air Europe, British Airtours, Dan-Air London, Monarch Airlines, Orion Airways - who was the first U.K. airline to operate the stretched series 300. Although Britannia didn’t take the -300 they inherited the Orion machines when Thomson Holidays acquired Horizon Holidays. a Britannia Airways 737 operated the first ever flight from Glasgow to Larnaca in 1983 on behalf of Budget Holidays providing the airport’s first ever holiday flight to Cyprus.

The longer -400 was a mixed bag. I couldn’t do CFU-GLA non stop resulting in Air 2000, who operated a single 737-300 to move to the Airbus 320 a move copied by Monarch Airlines. Meanwhile series 400 aircraft were operated by Air UK Leisure, Air Europe, Dan Air and British Airways.

My personal glory days were the all Boeing fleets of Britannia; 737,757,767 and BA; 737, 747, 757, 767, 777.

However time and technology move forward resulting in the 737NG again a popular choice with many airlines operating over a wide range of scheduled and leisure routes.

Then comes the MAX. I’m not going to discuss the tragedies, politics and boardroom machinations which have resulted in the grounding, recertification, and reintroduction into service. Suffice to say, rightly or wrongly, mud sticks. It will take a long time for public confidence to return: that said the DC10 suffered from similar issues.

In the U.K. the only U.K. airline which has taken the MAX was TUI: in fact had the aircraft not been grounded two would have been based at Glasgow with a third at Edinburgh. Given the massive downturn in the industry and the fact that TUI are currently restructuring their airline division they may not even need the additional aircraft on order. Only easing of the current travel restrictions and time will tell.

So where are Norwegian and Ryanair in this article? I’ve excluded them as their aircraft are EI registered not G.

[jetblue497]

Wind the clock back to 1968 when the 737-200 entered service with Britannia Airways in the days when the inclusive tour industry benchmark aircraft was the BAC 1-11 400; the series 500 didn’t enter service until the end of the decade.

As Boeing improved the aircraft performance the series 200 Advanced allowed improved performance with a higher payload and longer range. Britannia Airways was later joined by other operators who found the 737-200 ideal for their needs: Air Europe, British Airtours, Dan-Air London, Monarch Airlines, Orion Airways - who was the first U.K. airline to operate the stretched series 300. Although Britannia didn’t take the -300 they inherited the Orion machines when Thomson Holidays acquired Horizon Holidays. a Britannia Airways 737 operated the first ever flight from Glasgow to Larnaca in 1983 on behalf of Budget Holidays providing the airport’s first ever holiday flight to Cyprus.

The longer -400 was a mixed bag. I couldn’t do CFU-GLA non stop resulting in Air 2000, who operated a single 737-300 to move to the Airbus 320 a move copied by Monarch Airlines. Meanwhile series 400 aircraft were operated by Air UK Leisure, Air Europe, Dan Air and British Airways.

My personal glory days were the all Boeing fleets of Britannia; 737,757,767 and BA; 737, 747, 757, 767, 777.

However time and technology move forward resulting in the 737NG again a popular choice with many airlines operating over a wide range of scheduled and leisure routes.

Then comes the MAX. I’m not going to discuss the tragedies, politics and boardroom machinations which have resulted in the grounding, recertification, and reintroduction into service. Suffice to say, rightly or wrongly, mud sticks. It will take a long time for public confidence to return: that said the DC10 suffered from similar issues.

In the U.K. the only U.K. airline which has taken the MAX was TUI: in fact had the aircraft not been grounded two would have been based at Glasgow with a third at Edinburgh. Given the massive downturn in the industry and the fact that TUI are currently restructuring their airline division they may not even need the additional aircraft on order. Only easing of the current travel restrictions and time will tell.

So where are Norwegian and Ryanair in this article? I’ve excluded them as their aircraft are EI registered not G.

G-NRWY and G-RUKA are the token Norwegian and Ryanair on the UK register. Rumours are swirling that RYR will put the Maxes on the UK (or another non EU register) to avoid tariffs until they can qualify as "used". Delta did some creative manoeuvres to get a couple of Hamburg built A321s available for domestic flights so I am sure MOL has something cooking.

[dav3]

also remember airlines such as GB airways,go fly,british world,astraeus,inter european and of course flyglobespan.....also current carriers such as west atlantic and titan.

[atuk]

also remember airlines such as GB airways,go fly,british world,astraeus,inter european and of course flyglobespan.....also current carriers such as west atlantic and titan.

Fair point Dav3. GB Air, go, British world all started off with used 737s; inter European and flyglobespan a mix of new and second hand machines. How could I forget Astraeus with the -700s which operated GLA-BRS-BJL as well as LGW- YDF (Deer Lake Newfoundland). It was also Astraeus involved in that infamous Celtic charter when they vowed never to operate from Glasgow ever again!

[GKirk]

TUI UK 737 Max 8 G-TUMB back in the skies this mornin, flew from Manchester up to Moffat area before heading back south