AirBlue to Get Windrose Airbus A330 on Wet Lease

[Abbas Ali]

Windrose Airbus A330-223 registration UR-WRQ wet leased to airblue seen at Lahore Airport on March 9, 2015.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Windrose Airbus A330-223 registration UR-WRQ departing from Lahore as airblue flight PA-470 to Jeddah on April 5, 2015.


Click here to see large photo. (Photo by Asuspine)

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Today, Windrose Airbus A330-223 registration UR-WRQ departed from Lahore as ferry flight 7W-7010 to Luqa Malta International Airport in Luqa, Malta.

http://www.flightradar24.com/data/airplanes/ur-wrq

The aircraft departed from Lahore at 1:45 AM and completed non-stop flight to Malta in eight hours.

Probably the end of wet lease term or the A330 going to undergo some routine maintenance checks outside Pakistan before rejoining airblue.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Windrose Airbus A330-223 registration UR-WRQ as ferry flight 7W-7010 from Lahore landing at Luqa Malta International Airport, Malta, on May 17, 2015.


Wind Rose Aviation A330-223 'UR-WRQ' by ✈ Andre Abela Malta ✈, on Flickr

Abbas

[adamalikhan]

Current contract of this A330 (in addition to the 4 Windrose A321s) has been extended until Oct 2015.

[Abbas Ali]

Probably the A330 is undergoing maintenance checks at Lufthansa Technik Malta facility before rejoining airblue.

http://www.lufthansa-technik.com/luftha ... hnik-malta

In coming weeks, that A330 should be very busy in carrying airblue Jeddah flights Umrah passengers particularly during Ramadan and later Hajj passengers.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

UR-WRQ with Lufthansa Technik Malta tug seen at Malta Airport on May 31, 2015.


Windrose --- Airbus A330-200 --- UR-WRQ by Adrian Cilia, on Flickr

Abbas

[adamalikhan]

PIA, Airblue and Shaheen all appear to be wet leasing aircraft. I thought the rules were this was not allowed for more than 3 months?
However it does appear that by the end of the third month, the same aircraft will go for technical/maintenance and then return. Upon returning, does the 3 months start again? Is this the loop hole?

[Abbas Ali]

I think rules for wet leased aircraft are relaxed.

Windrose A321s are on wet lease to airblue for more than three months now.

Abbas

[Rana]

PIA, Airblue and Shaheen all appear to be wet leasing aircraft. I thought the rules were this was not allowed for more than 3 months?
However it does appear that by the end of the third month, the same aircraft will go for technical/maintenance and then return. Upon returning, does the 3 months start again? Is this the loop hole?

Yes it is. At the end of 3d month plane go for maintenance or just to base for 2-3 days and can come back with new contract. In CAA roules there is no restriction to tack same plane on wet lease even next day.

[boeing787]

PIA, Airblue and Shaheen all appear to be wet leasing aircraft. I thought the rules were this was not allowed for more than 3 months?
However it does appear that by the end of the third month, the same aircraft will go for technical/maintenance and then return. Upon returning, does the 3 months start again? Is this the loop hole?

Yes it is. At the end of 3d month plane go for maintenance or just to base for 2-3 days and can come back with new contract. In CAA roules there is no restriction to tack same plane on wet lease even next day.

So it's a loop hole. They should just ban wet lease and only allow it from umra to hajj season. Having dry lease or own plane will help our economy more. Maybe govt should give incentive otherwise, because more people employed, more tax money for govt.

[Abbas Ali]

Windrose Airbus A330 registration UR-WRQ is expected to depart from Malta soon as ferry flight to Lahore to resume operating airblue flights.

Abbas

[Shahab]

It is not government's job to dictate private companies whether to dry or wet lease an aircraft. It is purely a financial decision taken by the private airline.

[Abbas Ali]

Restrictions on wet leased aircraft are or were for creating more job opportunities for Pakistanis.

Abbas

[Shahab]

I agree but unfortunately road to hell is paved with good intentions. We do not have type rated pilots/crew for a wide variety of equipment. While the government may want to create a handful of jobs it may result in a small pool of airplanes which may not be financially viable to lease. They need to let private companies make their own decisions as long as they are not breaking any rules.