The annual flyability certification obviously expires every year and this plane was a few weeks away from expiration. A simple on-fly inspection during a routine fly is sufficient to renew it for another year. It's, again, likely not related to the accident and standard procedure.
"Real" technical inspections and permits were all fine with the 15 year old (about 5 on Korean Airlines and 10 on Spanair) plane. Airplane maintenance in Spain is usually very high, with Iberia i.e. servicing many other airlines throught europe.
This flight is not your typical "hollday destination overweighted luggage" PAX, with the majority being locals returning home, but again it's safe to assume at least almost full payload, but not necessarily over or way-over (if anything, possibly slightly over).
Spanair also being wholly owned by Scandinavian Airlines SAS, technically headquater in Sweden.
Last edited by justme69; 23rd Aug 2008 at 14:10.