Airline of the Week

I apologize for no airlines of the weak for the last weeks. This week's airline is MEA-Middle East Airlines. MEA is the national flag carrier of Lebanon with its base in Beriut, Lebanon's Rafic Hariri International Airport (IATA: BEY ICAO: OLBA) and is a member Of the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). MEA is planning to join the airline allicane Skyteam in 2008. MEA was created by Saeb Salam on May 31, 1945 during World War II. During this year BOAC gave support to the airline. MEA's services commenced on January 1, 1946 from Beirut to Nicosia, later to Iraq, Egypt, Syria and Cyprus.

MEA introduced two DC-3s in the mid year of 1946. MEA's association with BOAC ended on August 16, 2961. Two years later MEA took over the other Lebanese carrier Lebanese International Airways. MEA then updated its fleet with three new Boeing 720Bs and three Caravelles. Unfortunately in 1967 operations were disturbed from the Arab Israeli War. Two years later the airline aquired a Convair CV-990A from American Airlines. Later MEA introduced a Boeing 747-200B (classic) from Beirut to London.

Trouble unfortunately struck again until 1990 when the political problems were stablished. Then MEA modernized its fleet with Airbus A310-300s in 1993 and 1994. This fleet modernization also introduced a Airbus A321-200 and a Airbus A330-200 to replace the A310-300 fleet. Finally on On September 7, 2006 Israel ended its air blockade on Lebanon which lasted 8 weeks. To Book your Middle East Airlines flight go to www.mea.com.lb.

Below: An MEA Airbus A321-221
at Malpensa.










Fleet Breakdown

• 6 Airbus A321-200
• 3 Airbus A330-200

Orders Breakdown

• 6 Airbus A320-200
• 4 Airbus A330-200

Destinations Breakdown

Africa

Below: An MEA Airbus A321-231
takes off at Rafic Hariri International Airport.














Côte d'Ivorie

• Abidjan (Port Bouet Airport IATA: ABJ ICAO: DIAP)
  

Ghana

• Accra (Kotoka International Airport IATA: ACC ICAO: DGAA)

Nigeria

• Kano (Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport IATA: KAN ICAO: DNKN)
• Lagos (Murtala Mohammed International Airport IATA: LOS ICAO: DNMM)

Europe

Below: An MEA Airbus A330-243
taxing at CDG.














Greece

• Athens (Elefthérios Venizélos International Airport IATA: ATH ICAO: LGAV)

Denmark (seasonal only)

• Copenhagen (Kastrup Airport IATA: CPH ICAO: EKCH)

Germany

• Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf International Airport IATA: DUS ICAO: EDDL)
• Frankfurt (Frankfurt International Airport IATA: FRA ICAO :EDDF)

Switzerland

• Geneva (Geneva Cointrin International Airport IATA: GVA ICAO: LSGG)

Turkey

• Istanbul (Atatürk International Airport IATA: IST ICAO: LTBA)

Cyprus

• Larnaca (Larnaca International Airport IATA: LCA ICAO: LCLK)

United Kingdom

• London (London Heathrow International Airport IATA: LHR ICAO: EGLL)

Italy

• Milan (Malpensa International Airport IATA: MXP ICAO: LIMC)
• Rome (Leonardo da Vinci Airport Fuimicino International Airport IATA:FCO ICAO: LIRF)

France

• Paris (Charles De Gaulle International Airport IATA: CDG ICAO: LFPG)
• Nice (Côte d'Azur International Airport IATA: NCE ICAO: LFMN)

Middle East

Below: An MEA Airbus A330-243
at BEY.














United Arab Emirates

• Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi International Airport IATA: AUH ICAO: OMAA)
• Dubai (Dubai International Airport IATA: DXB ICAO: OMDB)

Jordan

• Amman (Queen Alia International Airport IATA: AMM ICAO: OJAI)

Lebanon

• Beirut (Rafic Hariri International Airport IATA: BEY ICAO: OLBA) (main hub)
  

Egypt

• Cairo (Cairo International Aiport IATA: CAI ICAO: HECA)
• Sharm el-Sheikh (Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport IATA: SSH ICAO: HESH)

Saudi Arabia

• Dammam (King Fahd International Airport IATA: DMM ICAO: OEDF)
• Jeddah (King Abdulaziz International Airport IATA: JED ICAO: OEJN)
• Riyadh (King Khalid International Airport IATA: RUH ICAO: OERK)

Kuwait

• Kuwait City (Kuwait International Airport IATA: KWI ICAO: OKBK)

Future Destinations

Middle East

Qatar

• Doha (Doha International Airport IATA: DOH ICAO: OTBD)

Sudan

• Khartoum (Khartoum International Airport IATA: KRT ICAO: HSSS)

Europe

Russia

• Moscow

Spain

• Madrid (Barajas International Airport IATA: MAD ICAO: LEMD)

Switzerland

• Zürich (Zürich Airport IATA: ZRH ICAO: LSZH)
  

Airline of The Week

Libya is currently an enemy of America. You may think that you can't fly there, but trust me you can still fly there for sure! After writing about airlines from the Far East, Asia, and the Middle East this article is about an airline from Africa. This week's airline is Libyan Airlines the national flag carrier of Libya. Libyan is currently a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) and the International Air Transport Association.

With hubs at Tripoli, Libya's Tripoli International Airport (IATA:TIP ICAO:HLLT) and Benghazi, Libya's Benina International Airport (IATA:BEN ICAO:HLLB) Libyan Airlines flies to destinations in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Libyan Airlines was founded in 1964 as Kingdom of Libya airlines and began service one year later in 1965 with a fleet of Caravelles for European routes. Years later the name was changed to Libyan Arab Airlines and later Jamahiriya Libyan Arab Airlines. Later the airline had a fleet of Boeing 727s to fly into more European destinations in the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Unfortunalely in the 1980s Libyan due to political problems had to close their service to London's Heathrow International Airport (IATA:LHR ICAO:EGLL).

After the incident of Pan Am flight 103 the United Nations imedietly imposed sanctions against Libya. Due to the United Nations sanctions against Libya all of the airline's international flights were grounded. The reason why the United Nations decided to impose sanctions against Libya is because Libya decided to refuse handing over two agents that were government agents that were involved in the Pan Am flight 103 incident. For almost a decade the airline only flew domestic services within Libya. Finally in 1999 the United nations lifted the sanctions against Libya and the airline could restart its international flights.

Then in 2001 the airline Air Jamahiriya merged with the airline which at the time was called Libyan Arab Airlines. Then finally after the sanctions agaist Libya ended Libyan Arab Airlines changed their name to Libyan Airlines resumed its first international route after a decade of all international flights grounded in 1999. The route was to Amman, Jordan's Queen Alia International Airport. The airline has been negotiating with several aircraft manufaters such as Boeing and Airbus Industrie to expand their fleet of aircraft. Expanding their fleet would allow the airline to expand their routes to cover more of Africa, more of Europe, also to China, Japan, India, Canada, Pakistan, The Phillipines, as well as the U.S.

below: A Libyan Airlines
Fokker F-27-600 Fellowship
At Tripoli, Libya's Tripoli International Airport
(IATA:TIP ICAO:HLLT)










The Airline currently has plans to expand their fleet with 4 Airbus A350 XWBs, four A330-200s, seven A320-200, and three Canadair Regional jet 900s with two options on two more CRJ-900s. The airline's reason for these orders of new aircraft is to replace the ageing fleet of aircraft such as the Boeing 727-200, and the BAC-111-414EG and also the orders should help fend off the increased competitions. Also a renewal of the cargo fleet is in place too with four aircraft orders. Also another reason for this renewal is that the new up to date fleet should help attract more Europeans tourists into visiting Libya. The attraction of more tourists is part of a bid to raise the airline's number of passengers.

The airline also has a program to hire more employes, and the airline's technical capacity. To book your Libyan Airlines flight go www.libyanarabairline.com.

fleet breakdown

below: A Libyan Airlines
Airbus A300B4-622R parked
at Tripoli Libya's
Tripoli International Airport
(IATA:TIP ICAO:HLLT)

• 2 Airbus A300B4-622R
• 2 Airbus A310-200
• 1 BAC 111-414EG
• 1 Boeing 727-200
• 2 Fokker F27-600 Fellowship
  
• 1 Fokker F28
• 1 Gulfstream II

Orders breakdown

• 7 Airbus A320-200
• 4 Airbus A330-200
• 4 Airbus A350 XWB
• 3 Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet

Options breakdown

• 2 Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet

Destinations breakdown

below: The cover of Libyan Airline's timetable
of 1982.




























below: Libyan Airline's present route map.




















Algeria

• Algiers (Houari Boumedienne airport (IATA:ALG ICAO: DAAG)

Egypt

• Alexandria (El Nhousa Airport (IATA:ALY ICAO:HEAX)
• Cairo (Cairo International Airport (IATA:CAI ICAO:HECA)

Germany

• Frankfurt (Frankfurt International Airport (IATA:FRA ICAO:EDDF)

Italy

• Milan (Malpensa International Airport (IATA:MXP ICAO:LIMC)
• Rome (Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport (Also known as Fiumicino International Airport (IATA:FCO ICAO:LIRF)

Jordan

• Amman (Queen Alia International Airport (IATA:AMM ICAO:OJAI)

Libya

• Beida (La Abraq Airport (IATA:LAQ ICAO:HLLQ)
• Benghazi (Benina International Airport (IATA:BEN ICAO:HLLB)
• Ghat (Ghat Airport (IATA:GHT ICAO:HLGT)
• Kufra (Kufra Airport (IATA:AKF ICAO:HLKF)
• Misratah (Misratah Airport (IATA:MRA ICAO:N/A)
• Sebha (Sebha Airport (IATA:SEB ICAO:HLLS)
• Sitre (Airport name: N/A (IATA:N/A ICAO:N/A)
• Tobruk (Tobruk Airport (IATA:TOB ICAO:N/A)
• Tripoli (Tripoli International Airport (IATA:TIP ICAO:HLLT)

Below: A Libyan Airlines
Boeing 727-2L5/Adv at
Tripoli, Libya's Tripoli International Airport
(IATA:TIP ICAO:HLLT)













Malta

• Luqa (Malta International Airport (IATA:MLA ICAO:LMML)

Morocco

• Casablanca (Mohammed V International Airport (IATA:CMN ICAO:GMMN)

Saudi Arabia

• Jeddah (King Abdulaziz International Airport (IATA:JED ICAO:OEJN)

Syria

• Damascus (Damascus International Airport (IATA:DAM ICAO:OSDI)

Tunisia

• Sfax (Thyna Airport (IATA:SFA ICAO:DTTX)
• Tunis (Tunis-Carthage International Airport (IATA:TUN (ICAO:DTTA)

Turkey

• Istanbul (Atatürk International Airport (IATA:IST ICAO:LTBA)

Ukraine

• Kiev (Boryspil International Airport (IATA:KBP ICAO:UKBB)
  

United Arab Emirates

• Dubai (Dubai International Airport (IATA:DXB ICAO:OMDB)

United Kingdom

• London (London Heathrow Airport (IATA:LHR ICAO:EGLL)
• Manchester (Manchester Airport (IATA:MAN ICAO:EGCC)

Codeshare Breakdown

Vienna, Austria with Austrian Airlines

Zurich, Switzerland with Swiss International Airlines

Etihad Airways flight update

Attention to everyone who wants to fly on Etihad Airways to Colombo, Sri Lanka! Etihad will end their service to Columbo this September! So if you're planning to fly with Etihad plan your trip and book your flights fast before it's too late! To book your flight go to www.etihadairways.com.

Airline of the week

America is at war in Afghanistan. You may not think that you can fly into Afghanistan, but trust me you can still fly to Afghanistan! Ariana Afghan Airlines, the national airline of Afghanistan is based at Kabul, Afghanistan's Kabul International Airport (Khwaja Rawash) (IATA:KBL ICAO:OAKB). The was founded in 1955. In the 1970s Ariana many travel experts considered Ariana one of the top notch airlines in the world. During the Taliban regime the Taliban had control of the airline which halted all of its international flights in the 1990s.

In the 1990s when Ariana was still under Taliban control the fleet was reduced to a small handful of Soviet aircraft such as the Antonov An-26, the Yakovlev Yak-40, and only three American built Boeing 727. The 727 was on Ariana's longest domestic services. Later in October 0f 1996 Pakistan offered a maintence and operations base for the airline in Karachi, Pakistan. Three years later in 1999 the airline only flew to the following destinations which included Dubai, United Arab Emirates (IATA:DXB ICAO:OMDB) and Riyadh, Saudi, Arabia (IATA:RUH ICAO:OERK) also the airline flew cargo flights that were limited into China's western provinces. But imposed sanctions by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267 forced Ariana to completly halt all of their overseas flights.

below: An Ariana Airbus A300B4-203
taxing on the runway at Kabul, Afghanistan's
International Airport (Khwaja Rawash).










Finally in November 2001 two months after 9/11 all of Ariana's flights were grounded. Later after the fall of the Taliban government, later following the tragedy of 9/11 and later the American invasion of Afghanistan in December 2001 the airline started rebuilding its services. One month later in January 2002 the United Nations sanctions were lifted and the airline began flying service again. Then later government of India gave Ariana three Airbus A300B4-200s which were being operated by Air India because the Indian Government thought of a gesture of good-will and building a step for foreign relations with Afghanistan. Then for the first time since 1999 Ariana flew their first international flight landed at New Delhi, India's Indira Gandhi International Airport.

below:The rear of an Ariana
Boeing 727-228/Adv parked at
the terminal of Kabul International
Airport (Khwaja Rawash).











Unfortunately Ariana later got banned from entering EU airspace but prior to the ban the managed fly into Frankfurt, Germany (IATA:FRA ICAO:EDDF). To book your flight go to www.flyariana.com.

below: An Ariana Antonov An-24RV
preparing to taxi at
Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan (ICAO:OAMS)











fleet breakdown

• 1 Antonov An-24RV (registration:YA-DAL)
  
• 2 Airbus A300B4-200
• 3 Boeing 727-200
• 1 Boeing 727-200F (for cargo flights only)
• 2 Boeing 757-200 (leased aircraft)
• 4 Boeing 737-700 (to be delivered in 2009)

Destinations breakdown

Tajikistan

• Dushanbe (Dushanbe Airport (IATA:DYU ICAO:UTDD)

China

• Urumqi (Diwopu International Airport (IATA:URC ICAO:ZWWW)

Afghanistan

• Kabul (Kabul International Airport (IATA:KBL ICAO:OAKB) (Also known as Khwaja Rawash Airport)
  
• Kandahar (Kandahar International Airport (IATA:KDH ICAO:OAKN)

Pakistan

• Islamabad (Chaklala International Airport (IATA:ISB ICAO:OPRN)

India

• New Delhi (Indira Gandhi International Airport (IATA:DEL ICAO:VIDP)

Turkey

• Ankara (Esenboğa International Airport (IATA:ESB ICAO:LTAC)
• Istanbul (Atatürk International Airport (IATA:IST ICAO:LTBA)

Azerbaijan

• Baku (Heydar Aliyev International Airport (IATA:GYD ICAO:UBBB) (Only used for fuel stops)

United Arab Emirates

• Dubai (Dubai International Airport (IATA:DXB ICAO:OMDB)
  
• Sharjah (Sharjah International Airport (IATA:SHJ ICAO:OMSJ)

Iran

• Tehran (Imam Khomeini International Airport (IATA:IKA ICAO:OIIE)

Russia

• Moscow (Sheremetyevo International Airport (IATA:SVO ICAO:UUEE)
  

Former destinations. These destinations below are destinations that Ariana has halted service to.

Aktyubinsk, Kazakhstan Amritsar, India Amsterdam, The Netherlands Beirut, Lebanon Frankfurt, Germany Herat, Afghanistan Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Kuwait City, Kuwait Lahore, Pakistan London, U.K. Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan Munich, Germany Paris, France Peshawar, Pakistan Quetta, Pakistan Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Rome, Italy and Tashkent, Uzbekistan

below: An Ariana Airbus A300B4-203
parked at Beijing China's Beijing Capital Airport
(IATA:PEK ICAO: ZBAA)















Below: An Ariana Boeing 727-228/Adv
Taking off from Sharjah, UAE.













Below: An Ariana Tupolev Tu-154M
Parked At Prague, Czechoslovakia's
Ruzyne Airport in 1988.
(IATA:PRG ICAO: LKPR)

Airline of the week

America is currently at war with Iraq. Some people think you can't fly into Iraq, but trust me you still can. Iraqi Airways(IATA:IA ICAO:IAW) the national airline of Iraq based in Baghdad International Airport(IATA:SDA ICAO:ORBI) is a current member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization. The airline was founded in 1946 and began operations with Dragon Rapide and Vickers Viscount aircraft.

Then in the 1960s Iraqi Airways placed an order for the Tupolev Tu-124 and the Hawker Siddeley Trident aircraft to increase service in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Also in 1960s Iraqi ordered a few Ilyushin Il-76 for cargo flights. Then in the 1970s Iraqi ordered the Boeing 707 and Later the Boeing 747-200 for service to JFK airport. The Iran-Iraq war did undermine Iraqi's operations a little bit. Then in the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 all Iraqi Airways flights are grounded due to the United Nations sanctions against Iraq.

Iraqi Airways at the time had 17 aircraft, and the airline moved all aircraft to secret places. In May 1991 The United Nations allowed the airline to fly helicopter services for domestic routes, but these flights were limited however. Due to cease-fire terms all fixed wing flights were not allowed, the United Nations security council did agree to allow these domestic routes to start again. In January 1992 these flights started using Soviet Antonov An-24 aircraft. Later a United Nations ruling the flights were halted.

Later after the war in Iraq in 2003 Iraqi Airways announced they are planning to restart international flights. The rights to the airline's name got transferred to a new and indepentent airline which was called Air Iraq Company. Air Iraq would help build a new Iraqi Airways and would also protect Iraqi Airways from legal related problems from Saddam Hussien's regime. Finally on October 3, 2004 Iraqi Airways started flying again with their first flight from Baghdad to Amman. Then on June 4, 2005 for the first time since the ending of Hussien's regime Iraqi started their domestic flights started again with the first from Baghdad to Basra with 100 passengers on board a Boeing 727-247.

For the first time in 25 years on November 6, 2005 Iraqi flew a flight from Baghdad to Tehran. The airline's present fleet on its behalf of the Jordanian airline Teebah Airlines. Later in the summer of 2005 Iraqi Airways started more service to Arbil, and Sulaymaniyah. The present destinations that Iraqi Airways serves are: Amman, Athens, Baghdad, Basra, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, Dubai, Erbil, Kuwait City, London, Sulaymaniyah, and Tehran. The airline is planning to start service to Beijing, Delhi, Frankfurt, Karachi, and New York City in the future.

The airline's present fleet includes 1 Boeing 707, 1 Boeing 727-200, 3 Boeing 737-200, 3 Boeing 747SP, 3 Boeing 747-200, 3 Boeing 757, 1 Boeing 767-200, and one Ilyushin Il-76. The airline has placed an order for five Boeing 737-400 which will be aquired on a lease. The airline did have five orders for the Airbus A310 but the A310 is out of production. So these orders will never be delivered. For more info on Air Iraq go to www.airiraqco.com. To book your Iraqi Airways flight go to www.iraqiairways.co.uk.

below: An Iraqi Airways
Boeing 727-2H3/Adv with no
engines at Baghdad International
Airport.











below: An Iraqi Airways
Ilyushin Il-76MD at Basle, France.










Below: An Iraqi Airways
Boeing 707-730C parked at
Rio De Janerio Galeao International
Airport.










below: An Iraqi Airways
Boeing 727-270/Adv parked
at Prague's Ruzyne airport.

Next Generation Add-On

If you are a flightsim fan who wants to fly the Boeing 737 next generation series well Precision Manuals has the right add on for you! This add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 is called 737 The next generation. This add on has all 737 next generation series aircraft including the -600 -700 and the -800 and -900! Each add on has an excellent realistic 737 Next generation GMAX model almost precisely relevant to the real aircraft! Also included is the regular 2D panel and a absolutely realistic virtual cockpit to enjoy the full realism of this state of the art glass cockpit.

This is the cockpit view I recommend! When you are flying at cruising altitude of your virtual flight and you want to be comfortable just take your seat and sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery in the well modeled virtual cabin! But that's not all you get in this ultra realistic add on! you also get an operating manual, complete avionics and more! Also featured is an operating to real world standards fully interactive Flight Management computer for more realism! And last but not least are dozens of free liveries to download to fly these aircraft on airlines world wide!

Note: You need to get the add on featuring the -800 and -900 separately and you must have the -600 and the -700 add on to make the -800 and -900 work! If you want this add on for Microsoft Flight Simulator X well there is a version of these two add ons in one that is coming soon! To start your flightsim 737 next generation experience go to www.precisionmanuals.com!

below: the cover of the PMDG
737 NG 600/700 add on.













below: The PMDG 737 800/900
add on cover.











below: A screenshot
of the 737 800/900
virtual cockpit at night
time.











below: a screenshot of the
737-800 in the KLM livery.











below: make yourself comfortable
in the 737NG add on's virtual cabin!











below: The 737NG 600 series
in the livery of Southwest Airlines.

Airline of the week

The airline of this week is Druk Air (Royal Bhutan Airlines). Druk Air founded in 1981 is the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bhutan. From its hub in Paro, Bhutan (IATA: PBH ICAO:VQPR) Druk Air flies to seven destinations in five countries. The airline is planning to add three more destinations including Hong Kong, Dubai, and Singapore. The seven destinations they currently fly to are Paro, Bhutan Kathmandu, Nepal, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Gaya, Kolkata, and New Delhi, India, and last, but not least, is Bangkok, Thailand. The airline began operations in 1983 with one Dornier 228-200 with 18 seats from Paro to Kolkata and Dhaka. In 1988 Druk Air took delivery of their first jet aircraft, the British Aerospace BAe 146-100, registered A5-RGD. Then in 1992 they took delivery of their second BAe 146-100, registered A5-RGE. On October 31, 2004 they took delivery of their first Airbus A139-115 to replace the BAe 146-100 on the Paro-Bangkok route registered A5-RGF. Later they took delivery of their second Airbus A319-115 registered A5-RGG. Presently, Druk Air no longer flies the Doriner 228-200. To visit Druk Air's website go to www.drukair.com.bt. Just Planes has a DVD that features two roundtrip flights on Druk Air too!

below: BAe 146-100 A5-RGD
flying over Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi
International Airport.










below: A319-155 A5-RGG
flying over Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi
International Airport.









below: The Just Planes
Druk Air DVD cover.