Denmark’s DAT set to end all McDonnell Douglas ops

DAT (DX, Kolding) has announced it will retire its last MD-83 by the end of the year, with a farewell flight open to customers departing from and arriving at Copenhagen Kastrup airport on October 16.

The carrier said that while the aircraft will operate its farewell flight in October, it will continue to ply charter flights through the end of the year.

OY-RUE (msn 49936), a 1990 build, was acquired by DAT in 2010 and is currently the carrier’s last remaining McDonnell Douglas twinjet. It is used for sporadic charter flights out of Copenhagen and Billund. The airline retired its last MD-82 in late May 2021 and the last MD-87 in 2016, the ch-aviation fleets history module shows.

The MD-83 is also DAT’s last aircraft remaining on the carrier’s Danish Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC). All other aircraft – two A320-200s, one A321-200, two ATR42-300s, two ATR42-300(QC)s, three ATR42-500s, three ATR72-200s, two ATR72-200(QC)s, one ATR72-500, and three ATR72-600s – are operated by DAT LT (R6, Kaunas).

Once DAT retires its MD-83, the only remaining European operators of MD-80 Family twinjets will be ALK Airlines, AMAC Corporate Jet, Bravo Airways (Ukraine), and European Air Charter, the ch-aviation PRO airlines module indicates.

DAT told ch-aviation that the sale of the MD-83 is in progress and the aircraft would most likely be parted-out by the buyer.

Editorial Comment: The article has been corrected to reflect the detailed retirement schedule. – 06.10.2021 – 21:12 UTC