VS B744 at Riyadh

[aeroground]

Hi, just landed in RUH, and noticed a VS 747 on the international pier, any ideas as not one of there normal hunting grounds

thanks

[vapilot2004]

I believe that may be related to Air India who do serve that area - VS has a code sharing agreement with them.


How's the weather ? :}

[sevenforeseven]

What you saw was a BMI A330 in Virgin Nigeria colours. This A330 is surplus to requirements at BMI and is leased to Virgin Nigeria. BMI are still using it for thier Saudi flights until handover to Virgin Nigeria (VK). From what I understand VK will lease it for about 4 months.
Apparently the "paint job" on the A330 are acually stickers which have started to peel off the fuselage even before VK get the machine. :ugh:
The BMI A330 became surplus when BMI dumped the Mumbai route, which is what they do before giving any route a chance to develop, but hey up man, I wanta pinta ale an chips hey up where me barrow go????:ok:

[point5]

How is the A330 in question surplus to requirements when bmi have a leased B767 operating for them out of MAN, undoubtably one coming back to LHR to operate the Jeddah flights and they have had to cancel a well sustained Mumbai service due to lack of aircraft? Beats me...

[WHBM]

How is the A330 in question surplus to requirements when bmi have a leased B767 operating for them out of MAN, undoubtably one coming back to LHR to operate the Jeddah flights and they have had to cancel a well sustained Mumbai service due to lack of aircraft? Beats me...
BMI decided to launch Mumbai, and leased the 767 to cover for the A330 they took from Manchester.

The 767 is contracted medium-term, so for now they are stuck with it.

One A330 got a major tech fault and was was AOG for months so rather than lease in again, and looking at the thin pickings on Mumbai (maybe well-sustained but at bottom-of-the-barrel loss-making fares) BMI binned Mumbai. This was presented as due to technical reasons, so Nigel was saved the embarrassment of having Sir Michael asking him what on earth he was doing.

Then the A330 got fixed and had nothing to do so has been leased to Virgin Nigeria for a few months.

When the 767 goes back the A330 is coming back from Nigeria as well. Then the whole palaver can be started again on another of Nigel's great ideas for a destination.

[aeroground]

thanks for that it was dark and I only saw the tail

cheers aeroground