Lithuania’s Heston Airlines takes first A320

Heston Airlines (Vilnius) has taken delivery of its first A320-200, LY-FJI (msn 2157), and intends to shortly add a further two units of the type ahead of its planned launch in early 2021. The 16.9-year-old Airbus narrowbody was ferried from Tallinn Lennart Meri to Vilnius on November 17, 2020, following its retirement by the previous operator, Airest (AEG, Tallinn Lennart Meri). The aircraft is owned by CRA Aircraft Ireland and managed by Seraph Aviation Management, the ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows. For now, it remains registered as ES-LAA in Estonia. The second A320 for Heston Airlines will be LY-VUT (msn 2112), a 17.3-year-old aircraft owned by Genesis Aircraft Services and also managed by Seraph. The aircraft was last operated by Pan Pacific Airlines (8Y, Manila Ninoy Aquino Int’l) through January 2020. It is currently registered as LZ-GNF and stored at Shannon airport. Heston Airlines’ third A320-200 will be registered as LY-NZL, according to its website. The airline told ch-aviation that it was still negotiating the deal with the lessor and, as such, did not identify the aircraft. The ACMI/charter start-up has yet to secure an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) in Lithuania.