Last (?) MD-83 in Europe
 

The spotter in me wants to bag a ride on an MD-83 before they finally disappear from Europe for good. The only ones I can find which are in normal commercial scheduled passenger use is a single MD-83 operated by Meridiana on routes between Olbia in Sardinia and the Italian mainland and some Norwegian flights currently outsourced to Danish Air Transport to/from Copenhagen

Does anyone know of other MD-83s still in regular use in Europe ?
Furthermore, does anyone know how long Meridiana intend to keep the MD-83 going, or whether it's likely to face the chop at the end of the summer season next month, particularly with the Qatar Airways takeover ?

Bulgarian Air Charter is as far as I know the largest Maddog operator left in Europe, might be worth a look ;)

oliver - many thanks for your suggestion, I'd completely forgotten about them as a Maddog operator. I should have specified that I'm particularly looking for an MD-83 rather than just a generic MD-80. Bulgarian Air Charter do still seem to have a single MD-83 on their books, but alas it doesn't seem to be actively flying (nothing in the last 7 days on FR24 and web sources indicate the aircraft is now in storage so I'm possibly too late to catch a ride) - Bulgarian Air Charter seem to rely on MD-82s at the moment instead. Any other suggestions would be very gratefully received...

You do realise that the only difference between the MD-81/-82/-83 is the paperwork ? :O

If it really has to be an MD-83, Meridiana's example still pops up from time to time on the Olbia/Gatwick rotation ISS187/186.

You should come down here and try and hitch a ride on a DC8.

Danish Air Transport are flying an MD-83 into Edinburgh today and it has been there on several occasions recently. Google OY-RUE

Dave - yes I know it's just the paperwork. As you're aware, spotters can be a bit (or more than a bit !) obsessive sometimes and I mentioned that it's the spotter in me that wants this...

Today's MD-83 at Edinburgh

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...psrt9bwnjw.jpg

Edinburgh doesn't show on their route network. Can somebody please therefore explain that flight?

Also, which routes are their MD's normally employed on?

I pretended to make a booking on a couple of routes but the type isn't revealed as far as I can see.

Cheers, Cooch

The MD-83 isn't used on their own network. It is used for charters and subs for other airlines.

Yes, in this case (as pointed out by the OP), ad-hoc substitution on Norwegian's CPH/EDI service (DY3502/3503).