Welcome Home... And Goodbye

Today Lisbon welcomed the newest addition to TAP Air Portugal fleet, CS-TJK arriving from XFW. Saddly, we also said goodbye to the oldest A330-200, CS-TOH, which served as a prototype aircraft for Airbus Industries, flying with both the GE CF6-80 and RR Trent 700, and then, when it went to Austrian Airlines, converted to A330-223 with PW4000. While flying for Austrian, it had been painted with Star Alliance paint scheme, and with TAP it stayed always with the Star Alliance corporate livery. Today, it departed to Lleida-Alguaire Aiport, in Spain, for storage, and most likely, scrapping. CS-TOH was also the first A330 I photographed earlier in 2013.

Airbus A330-223, CS-TOH, TAP Air Portugal (Star Alliance c/s)

Airbus A321-251N, CS-TJK, TAP Air Portugal (Delivery Flight XFW-LIS)

Airbus A340 Air Belgium

Some weeks ago this gorgeous A340 arrived at Lisbon for maintenance at TAP M&E. Definitely, one of the best looking aircrafts out there. It's a shame that this company, which made its firs flight earlier this year, is already facing financial problems. Best hopes for them.

Airbus A340-313E, OO-ABB, Air Belgium

Azores Airlines A321neo Low Pass

You know you've just witnessed an amazing low pass, when, after the aircraft is gone, there's silence among spotters, as we check our recently taken pictures. That's exactly what happened when Azores Airlines' brand new A321neo, first with Portuguese registration, arrived at Lisbon on its delivery flight, earlier this month. Thumbs up for Azores Airlines! Well done.

Airbus A321-253N, Azores Airlines, CS-TSF ("Breathe" c/s)

Three Portuguese special liveries, TAP Air Portugal's Retro, "Portugal Stopover", and Azores Airlines's "Breathe"

Portugal Stopover

Back to September I finally got the chance to spot TAP Air Portugal's second special livery, ''Portugal Stopover'', which promotes the company's program with the same name. It allows travellers from long haul flights and passengers with their final destination being Madeira or Azores archipelagos or Algarve, with connecting flights to others destinations within Europe to spend up to 5 nights in Lisbon or Porto, before continuing their journey.

TAP Air Portugal has recently been awarded with the prize Digital Communication Awards 2017 for this amazing initiative.

Airbus A330-343, CS-TOW, TAP Air Portugal (Portugal Stopover c/s)

Interesting detail of the golf ball and the ''O'' in Portugal

The right side, with different portuguese icon's

Ukraine vs Russia

Some months ago an A320 from Windrose went to Lisbon for some maintenance. At the time of it's takeoff, Ural's A319 was also leaving just in front of him. Interestingly, Windrose never got close to the Russian airliner during the taxi to the runway.

Airbus A319-112, VP-BBG, Ural Airlines

Airbus A320-212, UR-WRM, Wind Rose Aviation

Skyteam by Alitalia

Erliar this year, Lisbon received some flights from Italy performed by Alitalia's 777s. One of those flights was operated with EI-DDH, Alitalia's 777 wearing Skyteam livery.

Boeing 777-243ER, EI-DDH, Alitalia (Skyteam c/s)

TAP Retro Low Pass

Back to June, TAP Portugal presented us with the very first retro livery in the history of the airline. To celebrate it, a presentation flight between Lisbon to Oporto, and back to Lisbon took place, in which it did a low pass both over Lisbon Airport, and Oporto Airport.

Airbus A330-343, CS-TOV, TAP Portugal (Retro c/s)