Last month, Virgin Atlantic retired its last A340-600s, one of them being G-VNAP.
Now, this A340-600 is back in service with a different airline to join the fight against COVID-19.
This aircraft, registered as 9H-EAL, is now operating for Maleth-Aero and features a “Thank you NHS (National Health Service)” decal at the front of the aircraft.
The aircraft was revealed yesterday and is now expected to re-enter service shortly.
Ex-Virgin Atlantic A340-600 “Thank You NHS” Livery Revealed – Real World Aviation – Infinite Flight Community
Last month, Virgin Atlantic retired its last A340-600s, one of them being G-VNAP.
Now, this A340-600 is back in service with a different airline to join the fight against COVID-19.
This aircraft, registered as 9H-EAL, is now operating for Maleth-Aero and features a “Thank you NHS (National Health Service)” decal at the front of the aircraft.
The aircraft was revealed yesterday and is now expected to re-enter service shortly.
This will be Maleth-Aero’s second A340-600. The company is a charter airline based in Malta.
This aircraft was painted by @AirbourneColour. While this A340-600 will operate cargo-only flights for now, I assume it’ll retain the old Virgin Atlantic seats?
The aircraft operated its inaugural flight with the livery from Bournemouth to Tianjin and back. Right now, it’s flying from Bournemouth to Kuala Lumpur and then to Budapest. You can track it here: 9H-EAL – Airbus A340-642 – European Cargo – Flightradar24
What are your thoughts on this special livery?
Coronavirus: ‘NHS’ passenger plane brings PPE from China
28 April 2020
A passenger plane bearing the logo “Thank you NHS” has landed in the UK with a cargo of surgical gowns from China.
The Airbus 340, with boxes strapped into every seat, arrived earlier at Bournemouth Airport.
NHS supplier Crest Medical said it was using passenger jets as well as cargo planes in order to “ramp up” imports of protective personal equipment (PPE).
The firm said it had more than doubled its PPE supplies since January.
Director David Lawrence said the coronavirus outbreak had increased the need for “critical PPE” in hospitals.
He said: “It’s the number of glove changes, the number of gown changes and the number of people using them.”
The Warrington-based firm is planning at least five more flights using passenger jets supplied by European Aviation.
The Bournemouth company arranged for the plane to be specially painted with the NHS message.
Chairman Paul Stoddart said: “We had four of these aircraft in passenger configuration but perfectly ready to go with crews etc.
“Although I hear plenty of criticism around about the government being slow… I can tell you first-hand it’s been a magnificent effort and ministers have been available day and night.”
Crest Medical said the 120,000 newly-manufactured surgical suits were unloaded quickly and moved to an NHS warehouse.
A second flight, bringing 10,000 boxes of gloves from Malaysia, is due to arrive on Thursday