Italy’s Blue Panorama secures Čedok charter contract

Blue Panorama Airlines (BV, Rome Fiumicino), which is in the process of rebranding as Luke Air, will base an A330-200 out of Prague Václav Havel to operate to long-haul leisure destinations under a contract for Čedok. The tour operator said flights would begin on July 3, 2021. In the Summer 2021 season, Blue Panorama will operate weekly flights to each of Punta Cana, Malé (starting on July 27), Nosy-Be (beginning on August 5), and Zanzibar (starting on August 22). The aircraft will also be used for other operations in between services for Čedok. However, as of the Winter 2021/22 season, it will be permanently based out of Prague to operate exclusively for the Czech tour operator. Čedok said that besides the four destinations launched during the summer, it would also offer flights to Varadero starting in winter. The A330 will be the sole widebody passenger aircraft based out of the Czech capital after flag carrier CSA Czech Airlines (OK, Prague Václav Havel), which is currently in bankruptcy proceedings, returned its A330-300 in early 2020. Blue Panorama has been planning to add the A330-200, its first Airbus aircraft, since 2019. The aircraft was originally due to be operated by Luke Air as a new unit owned by Gruppo Uvet and certified in Malta. However, the group later abandoned its plans for a new AOC and decided to rebrand Blue Panorama as Luke Air while retaining its existing Italian AOC. Its first A330-200, 9H-RTU (msn 473), has flown on February 25, 2021, following lengthy maintenance at Naples Capodichino. On May 25, Luke Air ferried it to Milan Bergamo and subsequently to Milan Malpensa, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. The aircraft is outfitted for 289 passengers, including 12 in business class and 277 in economy class. Besides the A330, Blue Panorama also operates one B737-300, one B737-400, eight B737-800s, and one B767-300(ER).