Fire up the quattro...
 

...Well not quite. Just been upstairs, and a noise that I haven't heard in a few days was drifting across the fields from EMA.

Sounds like somebody had fired up the engines on at least 1 aircraft anyway. Will be interesting to see if there are any movements tonight or not

There has been a few cargo flights in tonight, but dont expect it to be back to normal any time soon... the ash cloud still covers the uk at the moment, and is still set to until the weekend, so cancellations will still occur.

Bmibaby have stated they hope to have a normal schedule tomorrow, with the first flight off to CDG at 06:40, but delays are possible due to aircraft having to have a change of route.

Thomson and Thomas Cook are focusing on bringing people back to the UK in the Morning, and then normal flights will resume in the afternoon.

Bmi and Eastern Airways should operate as normal tomorrow, however, the AM Brussels is expected to be cancelled as the ash remains over Europe.

Ryanair have stated that they are not operating any flights tomorrow from EMA, and will start flights on Thursday from 1pm if all goes well tomorrow and we have no further ash in the skies

Wonderful images - not!
 

Our television screens are now full of shots of members of the public returning to the UK after their enforced absences; most show them being welcomed by friends and relatives in clean, functional arrivals halls.

What do we see from East Midlands this lunchtime? The BBC's local reporter standing next to a graffiti covered column, resembling something you would expect to see in the gents toilet of a 1960's football ground...!
The image made me cringe just as much as when I first encountered it last year when meeting a client from Geneva (something which now cannot be repeated due to Easy's departure and Baby's reduced frequency on the route) his puzzled look and comment of "how strange - do you like graffiti around here?" said it all.

What on earth possessed the airport's management to even consider doing something as tacky as this? I presume it was the same "consultancy" that advised them to install the silver plastic "meeting tree" which resembles a cast-off prop from a local production of Jack and the Beanstalk!

What sort of impression does Penny Coates think this gives first time visitors to the airport and the East Midlands region?
I know the airport is "architecturally challenged" but surely they can do better than this?

Rant over!

Can anyone post a picture of the graffiti and the tree?

They both sound absolutely horrendous!!

Oh trust me, they are !! Next time I'm down I shall snap the offending articles for you.
They may as well start spray-painting the arrivals on the wall, as well !

Glad there are others that think the same about the tree but it was eclipsed by the ersatz graffiti. I suppose next it'll be simulated gang stabbings to welcome passengers to the attractions of the East Midlands.
(or am I getting old and out of touch with 'modern' thinking)

Anyone know if the An-225 that was meant to be showing up sometime Saturday is definately off or if there is a chance of it turning up ?

Thanks.

An-225 + Air Malta
 

Heard the above is delayed maybe for a week. Might be a IL76 in Saturday.

Theres 3 nice Kuban ex Baby 737s parked up in maintenance/Hangar area or On the fingers of the Mike taxiway plus a A321 2 X A320 All waiting For the nod to go to there new owners or into store!!!!!!

Air Malta A320 due tonight glad to see them back:ok:

Thanks for that info.

I've seen the Kuban's. So the deal is back on with those then! It was uncertain at one point! I wonder when they'l be leaving for their new home ?

I'm hoping to get to see the An-225 so hope it comes the following week.
It would be great if you could let me know if you get any more information.


Thanks again.

Last info i had was that they were to old to go on the Russian reg, ie no Western airframes over 10 years old and that the post holder that had given Kuban the nod had been moved for a spell in the salt mines?

How long can the 767 junk sit down that end? time to tow it to the aero park

Inkjet, is that the UKIA 767 still sitting there?

The 767 was there at Easter!!

That UK International Airlines has been there for such a long time now.

If you pass the building near the fuel area you can get a good view of it there.

It's time it went to a museum or something.

It sounds like nobody can afford to send it off to the desert for storage or scrap.

Judging by the clattering noise coming from the un-sealed engines on the UKIA767 as they turn in the wind, I'd imagine they're well past their sell by date. I doubt the whole thing is worth much more than scrap value now.

Its still there alright - had a good look at it when I was sent down Taxiway M the other week to drop a friend off. I reckon the R44 might have been worth more than it now! :}:8 ;)

ema
 

its going to be scrap. ex 0523 covman.

Ukia 767.
 

And where did you glean that bit of info from Covman:confused:??

As far as the airport is concerned they are still trying to get the parking fees payed in full < doubt it very much > or in part and it will then fly out:ok: Well thats what the airport want it to do.......

And if you had heard the amount of times it been going to move into the Bmi hangar for work it like doing the Hokey pokey

In out shake it all about.......................................

Me thinks any saleable parts should be salvaged engines etc and then moved to the aero park or it replaces the turkish 727 as the fire training aircraft:)

DHL get a call every now and then to fix an oil leak, from a firm in BOH i think.
But as NJ says time to upgrade the 727 to a B767.
NJ wasn't it a Yugoslavian 727 or is my memory fading now?

Air Alfa TC-ALM, unfortunatly I'm old enough to remember it arriving, mind you I can also remember one of it's predecesors, DC-3 OO-CBU!!