Bhoja Air Aircraft Fleet

[Abbas Ali]

According to www.aerotransport.org, privately-owned Pakistani airline Bhoja Air (www.bhojaair.com.pk) will restart its flight operations with four Boeing 737-200s acquired from South Africa.

Further information like aircraft construction number, year of manufacture not available at the moment.

Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

what is the deal private Pakistani airlines the 737-200?

Cant they atleast get 15 year old 737-300s or 737-400?

[Murad]

The question is, how mucn cheaper is the 737-200 vs 737-300/400?

They might save up some money on the initial purchase, but how much more will they pay in the long term in regard to fuel consumption, maintenannce, availability of spare parts etc?

[Abbas Ali]

Following four Boeing 737-200 airframes are believed to be acquired by Bhoja Air.

Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-236 Advanced
Construction Number: 21793
Year Built: 1980
Brief History: Registered in Great Britain as G-BGDD and delivered brand new to British Airways in February 1980. Registered in Netherlands as PH-TSE in 1995 and operated by Transavia Airlines. Registered in South Africa as ZS-NNG in 1995 and operated by Comair Limited. Aircraft stored in Johannesburg, South Africa, in January 2011.

Year 2009 photo of ZS-NNG in British Airways markings operated by Comair Limited.

Click here to see large photo.
hr Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-236 Advanced
Construction Number: 21797
Year Built: 1980
Brief History: Registered in Great Britain as G-BGDH and delivered brand new to British Airways in April 1980. Registered in Netherlands as PH-TSD in 1995 and operated by Transavia Airlines. Registered in South Africa as ZS-NNH in 1995 and operated by Comair Limited. Operated in Kulula livery between 2005 and 2010. Aircraft stored in Johannesburg, South Africa, in January 2011.

Year 2010 photo of ZS-NNH in Kulula livery.

Click here to see large photo.
hr Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-236 Advanced
Construction Number: 23163
Year Built: 1984
Brief History: Registered in Great Britain as G-BKYE and delivered brand new to British Airways in November 1984. Registered in South Africa as ZS-OLA in 1999 and operated by Comair Limited. Aircraft stored in Johannesburg, South Africa, in January 2011.

Year 2010 photo of ZS-OLA in British Airways markings operated by Comair Limited.

Click here to see large photo.
hr Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-236 Advanced
Construction Number: 23167
Year Built: 1984
Brief History: Registered in Great Britain as G-BKYI and delivered brand new to British Airways in January 1985. Registered in South Africa as ZS-OLB in 1999 and operated by Comair Limited. Aircraft stored in Johannesburg, South Africa, in January 2011.

Year 2010 photo of ZS-OLB in British Airways markings operated by Comair Limited.

Click here to see large photo.

Info Source: www.aerotransport.org

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Pakistani registrations for these four Bhoja Air Boeing 737-200 jetliners will be:

AP-BKB - 1980-built Boeing 737-236 Advanced (C/N 21793) previous registration ZS-NNG.

AP-BKC - 1984-built Boeing 737-236 Advanced (C/N 23167) previous registration ZS-OLB.

AP-BKD - 1984-built Boeing 737-236 Advanced (C/N 23163) previous regisrtration ZS-OLA.

AP-BKE - 1980-built Boeing 737-236 Advanced (C/N 21797) previous registration ZS-NNH.

Presently, all these four Boeing 737s are at OR Tambo International Airport (Airport Code: JNB), Johannesburg, South Africa.

Abbas

[Zulfiqar]

These are on dry lease, correct?

And, will the livery be the same as before? any ideas?

[Abbas Ali]

Aircraft most likely dry leased to Bhoja Air or maybe purchased by Bhoja Air.

Anyway, I believe all these four aircraft will be operated by Bhoja Air cockpit and cabin crew.

In November 6, 2011, newspaper, Bhoja Air gave following advertisement for hiring cockpit and cabin crew for Boeing 737 aircraft.



Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

Why is PIA having problems with its 26.5 year old 737-300s while other airlines are still inducting 32 year old aircraft?

Obviously the four 737s Bhoja is acquiring are airworthy aircraft, so what is going on with PIA 737s?

Is the 737-200 able to handle more stress versus the 737-300, therefore has a longer life?

[TAILWIND]

Why is PIA having problems with its 26.5 year old 737-300s while other airlines are still inducting 32 year old aircraft?

Problem is not with acft, it is in the heads of incompetent and corrupt management and employees.

[affan]

I think bhoja air like shaheen is not inducting all airworthy airplanes. They follow the same strategy like shaheen who has probably 12 737-200adv and operate only 5 just to extract spare parts from the rest. Even air blue followed/follow this strategy whereas PIA may only follow this strategy on temporary/rarely and would eventually keep all it`s fleet into work by procuring the spare parts.

[Abbas Ali]

At least three airworthy aircraft registered in Pakistan is the basic requirement in Pakistan for starting and running an airline with scheduled passenger flights under country's aviation policy.

Abbas

[riz]

Run any of these 732s like PIA does , and they will be grounded in less than a month.

[Murad]

I think bhoja air like shaheen is not inducting all airworthy airplanes. They follow the same strategy like shaheen who has probably 12 737-200adv and operate only 5 just to extract spare parts from the rest. Even air blue followed/follow this strategy whereas PIA may only follow this strategy on temporary/rarely and would eventually keep all it`s fleet into work by procuring the spare parts.

How could Airblue keep unwhorty airplanes when it has already an extensive route network and only 4 airbus a319s to acommodate these routes? And arent they on lease as well?

About SAI, i thought almost all of the fleet was active? They did start a new domestic route this year.

[TAILWIND]

Run any of these 732s like PIA does , and they will be grounded in less than a month.

Riz...I see an implied admission that PIA does not 'run' these aircraft as these should be.....However what exactly you mean, out of the book operations or poor maintenance?

[Abbas Ali]

How could Airblue keep unwhorty airplanes when it has already an extensive route network and only 4 airbus a319s to acommodate these routes?

Currently AirBlue has following 5 aircraft in its fleet and all of them are active.

4 x Airbus A319 (AP-BIE, AP-BIF, AP-EDB & AP-EDC)
1 x Airbus A320 (AP-EDA)

Abbas