UK’s flyPOP subleases first A330 to Hi Fly Malta for cargo

flyPOP (London Stansted) has subleased its first aircraft, a makeshift A330-300 freighter, to Hi Fly Malta (HFM, Malta Int’l) which has, in turn, deployed it into cargo service.

At 8.3 years of age and last operated by Cebu Pacific Air (5J, Manila Ninoy Aquino Int’l), 9H-POP (msn 1445) was ferried from Malta Int’l to Berau on November 10 and operated its first flight to Edmonton Int’l on November 18, 2021, AirNav RadarBox ADS-B data shows. The aircraft is owned by Park Aerospace Holdings and managed by Avolon, the ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows.

“This is another major milestone in the flyPOP journey as we have inducted the first of our four aircraft. We hope our cargo routes will assist with the global demand for cargo and help to alleviate cargo shortages for the Christmas holidays and beyond,” Chief Executive Nino Singh Judge said.

The British start-up plans to take another ex-Cebu Pacific A330-300, RP-C3341 (msn 1420), which is owned by Macquarie AirFinance, and has already been repainted into flyPOP’s livery. It remains parked at Guangzhou airport for the time being. Chief executive and accountable manager Navdip Singh Judge has since confirmed to ch-aviation that msn 1420 will also join its sister ship on the Maltese register with Hi Fly as a makeshift freighter whereas the third and fourth A330s, msn 1495 and 1527, will go onto its UK certificate for passenger/cargo operations in Spring 2022.

Once the pandemic abates and demand fully returns, flyPOP plans to focus on point-to-point low-cost passenger flights between the UK and second-tier cities in India. While it has yet to unveil its proposed network, it said it was considering serving Amritsar, Hyderabad Int’l, Goa Dabolim, Kolkata Int’l, Ahmedabad, Kochi Int’l, and Chandigarh. The airline will base its operations out of London Stansted and has signed for three A330s from Avolon, with the other two due in 2022. The start-up is currently undergoing certification in the UK.