Before we take a look at what happened to Air Europa’s Boeing 737-400s, let’s first take a look at Air Europa and learn a little more about the airline. Headquartered in Llucmajor, Mallorca, Air Europa is the third-largest Spanish airline after Iberia and Vueling.
From its central hub at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD), Air Europa flies to 44 destinations in Europe, North and South America, and North Africa. Air Europa originally started life as Air España SA in 1986, offering vacation charter flights to several destinations around Europe using a fleet of Boeing 737-300s and Boeing 757s.
Air Europa’s Boeing 737-400s
From 1994 until 2003, Air Europe had nine Boeing 737-400s. Here’s a look at the Boeing 737-400s operated by Air Europa, in chronological order of their exit from the fleet.
EC-644: First delivered to Malaysia Airlines on February 15, 1991, Europa acquired the 737-400 on April 20, 1994. The plane was later sold to Air Horizons on January 27, 2005.
EC-657: First delivered to British Airways on October 1, 1993, Air Europa acquired the 737-400 on May 10, 1994. The plane was later returned to British Airways on December 12, 1994.
EC-645: First delivered to Malaysia Airlines on June 5, 1991, Air Europa acquired the 737-400 on August 14, 1994. The plane was later sold to JetLite on December 24, 2004.
EC-772: First delivered to Malaysia Airlines on May 18, 1990, Air Europa acquired the 737-400 on December 14, 1994. The plane was later sold to Dniproavia on August 3, 2004.
EC-850: First delivered to Malaysia Airlines on March 3, 1991, Air Europa acquired the 737-400 on April 10, 1995. The plane was later sold to Air One on December 19, 2001.
EC-GPI: First delivered to Air Europa on July 28, 1997, the 737 was later sold to Air One on July 4, 2002.
EC-HNB: First delivered to British Midland on March 13, 1992, Air Europa acquired the 737 with the registration on May 16, 2000. The plane was later sold to Aerosvit Airlines on November 2, 2004.
EC-HXT: First delivered to Air Berlin on March 27, 1992, Air Europa acquired the 737 with the registration on June 18, 2001. The plane was later sold to CSA Czech Airlines on December 22, 2004.
EC-IRA: First delivered to Transbrasil on January 28, 2001, Air Europa acquired the 737 with the registration on August 12, 2003. The plane was later sold to Lion Air on December 7, 2005.
IAG offered to buy Air Europa in 2019
In November 2019, British Airways and Iberia owner the International Airlines Group (IAG) agreed to purchase Air Europa for €1 billion ($1bn). Air Europa accepted the initial offer just as we entered the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with airlines globally in survival mode, IAG looked to renegotiate the terms of the deal, but no common ground could be found, and in January 2022, the original deal was dead and buried. However, IAG remains a large stakeholder in the Spanish airline.
Air Europa has a fleet of 41 aircraft
Currently, according to the aviation data and statistics website, ch-aviation Air Europe operates a fleet of 41 planes made up of the following aircraft:
- 1 x Airbus A320-200
- 1 x ATR 72-500
- 17 x Boeing 737-800s
- 10 x Boeing 787-8s
- 12 x Boeing 787-9s
Have you flown with Air Europa? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!