Mods maybe we need a split topic here- one for G-VAST and her forthcoming wet lease?
This is an interesting development indeed. Certainly makes much more sense for VS to try and get some cash for her rather than just putting her out in the graveyards.
The question of where she may go is very interesting. I know that Lion Air of Indonesia have just taken 2x744's so that they can expand servies to Jeddah. I believe Lion Air are waiting for the EU ban on Indonesian airlines to be lifted, so they can start services to Europe. However I don't see why they would take a leased 744 for a relative short period of time (unless they need it for the Hajj).
Of course with the Hajj flights coming up in late Novemember should could end up flying for one of the Hajj specialist such as Kabo/Guarada/Saudi etc. I believe that only authorised airlines are allowed to fly these special flights and often are more obscure airlines so they lease in planes to cope with the huge surge in passengers.
Other than that I cannot think of who would be requiring a 744. The northern hemisphere charter market is over for another year and down in the southern hemisphere they really do not do charters. Given the current market its very hard to imagine this plane going to a well known airline (E.G: SQ have in the past leased 744's off MH to fly SIN-AKL), besides the market is currently flooded with spare 744's as SQ and QF are replacing theirs with 380's.
This is an interesting development indeed. Certainly makes much more sense for VS to try and get some cash for her rather than just putting her out in the graveyards.
The question of where she may go is very interesting. I know that Lion Air of Indonesia have just taken 2x744's so that they can expand servies to Jeddah. I believe Lion Air are waiting for the EU ban on Indonesian airlines to be lifted, so they can start services to Europe. However I don't see why they would take a leased 744 for a relative short period of time (unless they need it for the Hajj).
Of course with the Hajj flights coming up in late Novemember should could end up flying for one of the Hajj specialist such as Kabo/Guarada/Saudi etc. I believe that only authorised airlines are allowed to fly these special flights and often are more obscure airlines so they lease in planes to cope with the huge surge in passengers.
Other than that I cannot think of who would be requiring a 744. The northern hemisphere charter market is over for another year and down in the southern hemisphere they really do not do charters. Given the current market its very hard to imagine this plane going to a well known airline (E.G: SQ have in the past leased 744's off MH to fly SIN-AKL), besides the market is currently flooded with spare 744's as SQ and QF are replacing theirs with 380's.
