UK’s flyPOP selects A330-300s, begins certification

flyPOP (London Stansted) has secured three A330-300s on lease from Avolon, kickstarting its certification drive with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). “As a twin-engine double-aisle widebody that can carry over 400 passengers, the A330-300 aircraft will deliver everything we want to offer our flyPOP passengers, especially the lowest seat prices to India. With this lease deal, we have been able to submit our AOC license application to the UK Civil Aviation Authority and expect our first flights to commence by October,” Chief Executive Nino Singh Judge said. The lessor clarified that the deal concerns a single aircraft due for delivery in September 2021, ahead of flyPOP’s launch later in the year, and a further two in 2022. In the press statement, the companies said flyPOP would add one Airbus widebody every six months. According to the ch-aviation fleets ownership module, the lessor manages thirty A330-300s, of which nineteen are owned by Park Aerospace Holdings and the remainder by Avolon itself. A single one, EC-MHL (msn 1574), is currently not allocated to any operator, although many of the remaining 29 aircraft are currently in storage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Avolon did not confirm the identity of the aircraft when asked by ch-aviation. Until recently, flyPOP had considered launching during the summer 2021 season as a virtual carrier, operating under another airline’s AOC.