Hawaiian Airlines To Extend A330 Leases

CH-Aviation.com reports that Hawaiian Airlines will extend the leases of four of its A330-243 fleet to offset the rotation of grounding of their A321-271N fleet due to the on-going issues with its PW1100 GTF engines. There are five A330s whose leases are set to expire next year, with the aircraft to be returned. It has yet to be determined which of the five will be lone A330 returned to its lessor.

Here are the five A330-243s:

N381HA "Makali‘i" (msn 1104, f/n 380) leased from Avolon.

N381HA "Hōkūle‘a" (msn 1114, f/n 381) leased from Macquarie Air Finance.

N382HA "Iwakeli‘i" (msn 1171, f/n 382) leased from Macquarie Air Finance.

N388HA "Nahiku" (msn 1310, f/n 388) leased from Doric Aviation.

N389HA "Keali‘iokonaikawela" (msn 1316, f/n 389) leased from Air Lease Corporation.

N382SS's Emergency Landing

N328SS (msn 1214), a Robinson Helicopter R44 owned by Spitzer Helicopters, and operated by Rainbow Helicopters, made an emergency landing on an islet in Ke‘ehi Lagoon after departing HNL. The incident occurred shortly after 10:00 HAST. Fortunately, all occupants aboard escaped injury. The HNL ARFF rescue boat and City & County Ocean Safety responded to tend to the occupants.

N3867X

N3867X (msn 382-4684), a Lockheed L-100-30 owned by T3D&H LLC, and operated by Gulf Air Group, is making a stop at HNL.

382-4684's History:

Jly 1976: Delivered to Safair Freighters as ZS-JIX.

Feb 1990: Leased to TAAG Angola Airlines as D2-THZ, then subleased to AAC Angola Air Charter.

June 1996: Returned to Safair Freighters, and re-registered as ZS-JIX.

Sep 1996: Leased to HeavyLift Cargo Airlines.

Jun 1998: Returned to Safair.

Jan 2006: Acquired by T3D&H LLC as N3867X, and operated by Tepper Aviation.

N592SA

Southern Airways Express is taking delivery of N592SA (msn 208B2066), under lease from ITC-Aerolease. This C208B made its delivery flight from QBR [Redcliffe Airport, Redcliffe, Australia] to KOA, via OOL, APW, and HNL.

Fuerza Aerea Colombiana's FAC0001

El Fuerza Aerea Colombiana's FAC0001 (c/n 29272, l/n 323) made a stop at HNL today. It's origin and destination was not available. This 737-74V BBJ, is the executive VIP transport for the Colombian Air Force.

29272's History:

Aug 1999: Delivered to the Raytheon Corp as N737SP.

Dec 2001: Re-registered as N7378P.

Jly 2004: Acquired by El Fuerza Aerea Colombiana as FAC0001.

San José State Spartans Team Charter

The San José State Spartans is chartering a Sun Country Airlines 737-800 today, for their road trip to Honolulu to play the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors on Saturday. N821SY (c/n 39952, l/n 5217, f/n 821) is flying the Spartans from SJC to HNL, as SCX8603.

The Spartans will return to SJC following the game with the same flight number.

N169CA

Arizona State University is basing one of their Do228-202s, N169CA (msn 8088), at ITO, for research flights over the Hawaiian Islands. It's ferrying in from MCC today.

Alliance Airlines' N183JB

Alliance Airlines is taking delivery of its first former jetBlue Airways ERJ-190ARs today. N183JB (msn 19000007) is being delivered by Southern Cross International as SXI2371. It's flying from MCN to ROK [Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia], via OAK, HNL, MAJ, and BNE; and will overnight at HNL. It will be repainted and receive its Australian registration, VH-OUL, after delivery.

N183JB is the first of 30 former jetBlue E190s that Alliance is acquiring from AerCap. 

N183JB's History:

Sep 2005: Delivered to jetBlue as N183JB "Azul Brasileiro" (f/n 183) with the "Harlequin" tail livery, under lease from GECAS.

Sep 2013: Tail livery repainted in the "Blueberries" design.

Nov 2021: Sold to AerCap, and the lease transferred.

Aug 2023: Withdrawn from service, and ferried to MCN for prep to Alliance.

21 Oct 2023 UPDATE

Their flight to MAJ has been postponed due to a suspected maintenance issue.

28 Oct 2023 UPDATE

SXI2371 departed for MAJ, but returned to HNL due to a maintenance issue.

01 Nov 2023 UPDATE

SXI2371 departed for MAJ, and continued onto BNE.

All Nippon Airways' JA383A

All Nippon Airways is inducting its third A380-841, JA383A "Lā" (msn 266) into service today. The "orange honu" is making its first revenue flight from NRT to HNL as ANA182. It will return to NRT as ANA181.

JA383A had been the airline's training A380, that made quarterly flights around NRT since it was delivered four years ago. It will join the rotation with their other two A380-841s, JA381A and JA382A.

Qantas And Alliance To End Buyout Proceedings

News.com.au reports that both Qantas Airways and Alliance Airlines announced that they will end the buyout proceedings, and continue as separate entities, with Qantas maintaining its 20% stake in Alliance. The 611 million AUD deal fell through as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission opposed the buyout in April 2023, and Qantas appealed the decision.

Qantas, however, will exercise an option for four more Alliance E190s to be used for QantasLink's regional service.

Alliance has plans to acquire 30 ERJ-190ARs from AerCap, and currently leased to jetBlue Airways, with deliveries beginning later this year, and lasting to 2025. Nothing was mentioned in report regarding these 30 E190s.

Pelita Air Service's PK-PWK

Pelita Air Service [IP/PAS] is leasing PK-PWK (msn 3503) from Avalon, and is being delivered to the Indonesian carrier. This A320-214 is making its delivery flight from DHN to PCB, via GYR, HNL, MAJ, and BIK. It's making an overnight stop at HNL.

3503's History:

May 2008: Delivered to Virgin America as N638VA "San Francisco Pride" (f/n 638), under lease from Avalon.

Jun 2018: Integrated into the Alaska Airlines fleet following the merger.

Nov 2022: Withdrawn from service, and stored at VCV.

Aug 2023: Ferried to DHN for prep for Pelita Air.

On a related note, Pelita Air is in the process of being merged into Citilink, Garuda Indonesia's low-cost subsidiary. CH-Aviation reports that Pelita will keep its brand identity, and operate separately of Citilink.

LATAM Cargo's N566LA

LATAM Cargo is taking delivery of their freighter converted 767-316ERF, N566LA (c/n 40798, l/n 1011) today. Nomadic Aviation is ferrying it from QPG to BOG, via JRF, as OMD294. It will be assigned to LATAM Cargo Colombia, and based at BOG.

40798's History:

Sep 2011: Delivered to LAN Airlines as CC-BDA.

May 2016: Airline rebounded as LATAM Airlines Chile.

Apr 2020: Withdrawn from service, and stored at SCL.

Jun 2023: Ferried from MIA to QPG for freighter conversion.

Lānaʻi Air's N972LA

Lānaʻi Air is taking delivery of their first C408F SkyCourier freighter, N972LA (msn 408-0019). The airline is making its first foray into the inter-island cargo market, and is the second carrier to have the SkyCourier freighter here at HNL. It arrived from CMA after midnight as N972LA.

N972LA made its initial delivery flight to parent company Western Aircraft, on 31 August, as STT972, flying from BEC to BOI, via RKS. After several weeks of test flights, it flew from BOI to VGT for the installation of the ferry tank system. This is the first of two SkyCourier freighters for Lānaʻi Air.

San Diego State Aztecs Team Charter

The San Diego State Aztecs is chartering a Sun Country Airlines 737-800 for their road trip to play the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors on Saturday, flying as SCX8611. N801SY (c/n 30332, l/n 777, f/n 801) is flying from SAN today, and will arrive this afternoon.

The Aztecs will return to SAN following their 41-31 win over the Rainbow Warriors.

Allegiant Air's RP-C3274

Allegiant Air is taking delivery of RP-C3274 (msn 5669), their latest A320-214 acquired from Cebu Pacific. It's making its delivery flight from CRK to IWA, via MNL, GUM, and HNL. This A320 will be re-registered as N188NV.

RP-C3274's History:

Jly 2013: Delivered to Cebu Pacific.

___ 2018: Painted in current livery.

Jun 2023: Withdrawn from service, and stored at CRK.

MYAirline Suspends Operations

Aviation Source News reports that Malaysia carrier, MYAirline, is suspending operations on today, due to financial issues. The airline had their latest A320-214, TF-GAD (msn 3349) delivered in early September.  It has not received its Malaysian registration since the delivery flight from lessor, Goshawk Aviation. 

The airline also has two more former Alaska Airlines A320s, N839VA (msn 4610) and N841VA (msn 4655), at TUS, that are due to be leased to MYAirline from Carlyle Aviation Partners, but that is now on hold.

Further information in this CH-Aviation.com report.

04 Dec 2023 UPDATE

Three former MYAirline A320s that are owned by Castlelake,  have been leased to AirAsia.

Singapore Airlines' 9V-DHD

Singapore Airlines' fourth 777-F that will fly for DHL, in the SIA/DHL hybrid livery, is 9V-DHD (c/n 67144, l/n 1750). Like the other three previous 777-Fs, this one is leased from DHL, and operated by Singapore Airlines. It's entering service today, and making its first appearance at HNL, from LAX, as SIA7401, then onto SIN. 9V-DHD departed SIN for NGO as SIA7402, then to LAX with the same flight number.

On a related note, Singapore Airlines is adding a four-times weekly DHL cargo flights from CVG that will continue onto SYD as SIA743x.

N950TR

N950TR (c/n 30751, l/n 401), the 737-7GC BBJ used by motivational speaker Tony Robbins, is making a stop at HNL. This BBJ is owned by Ohio Resources LLC, and operated by Polaris Aviation Solutions.

C-FURJ

Canada's Summit Air is having their latest Avro RJ100, C-FURJ (msn E3354) ferried from ADL to YEG, via BNE, HIR, MAJ, HNL, and YVR.

E3354's History:

Jly 1999: Delivered to CityFlyer Express as G-BZAW, operated for British Airways, under lease from BAMJ.

Nov 1999: Sold to BAES, and the lease transferred.

May 2009: Withdrawn from service.

Feb 2010: Sold to Cobham Aviation, and operated by National Jet Express, as VH-NJP.

___ 2018: Tail livery modified.

Hawaiian's N4621K Enters Service

Hawaiian Airlines' Amazon Prime Air-liveried A330-343F, N4621K "Momentum" (msn 1902), has entered service today, flying between its CVG base and SBD. The westbound flight is listed as HAL1616, and eastbound flight is listed as HAL1601.

Alaska Airlines Retires "More To Love" Special Livery

With Alaska Airlines withdrawing all of the Airbus A320 series aircraft from their fleet, the airline is retiring the red and blue "More To Love" special livery that noted the merger between Virgin America and Alaska Airlines. One of Alaska's 737-990ERs, N439AS (c/n 41727, l/n 5738, f/n 493), was painted in the "More To Love" special livery, along with on two A321-253Ns, N962VA (msn 8120, f/n 926) and N927VA (msn 8126, f/n 927).

This 737-990ER was ferried to GEG this morning, to be repainted in the standard Alaska Airlines livery. Both A321Ns were withdrawn from service last month, and returned to their lessors.

N493AS's final flight to the islands in the "More To Love" livery was on 24 September to HNL, as it arrived from SEA as ASA811, and departed to SFO as ASA804. The above photo was taken on 07 September, as it departed for SEA as ASA888.

Air India Express To Buy 55 737-8s From Chinese Carriers

Simple Flying reports that Air India is purchasing 55 737-8s that were originally built for airlines in China. These airliners will be delivered to its Air India Express operation. These 737-8s have been in short-term storage at BFI, MWH, VCV, and SKF. Though China has cleared the 737MAX series for operations and the resumption of deliveries, there is also a trade issue between the US and China that causing the delay of deliveries. Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and some smaller airlines are opting to sell their new-builds to Air India.

On a related note, the Hainan Air Group sold off their new-build 737-8s that were sitting in short-term storage, many of them acquired by United Airlines.