A few days ago, two Airbus A340-300 of the Romanian Legend Airlines were transferred to India. The carrier was able to land a wet lease order placed by the low-cost airline Spicejet.

Since foreign airlines require a special permit from the Indian Civil Aviation Authority to fulfill ACMI orders for Indian carriers, but Legend Airlines has not yet had this, two Airbus A340s were transferred to Delhi on May 29, 2023. Two days later, they returned to their station locations and then flew again to India on June 5 and 6, 2023.

According to Spicejet, the widebody wet lease order begins on June 7, 2023. Neither the contractor nor the provider could give a conclusive answer as to why the machines did not remain on the subcontinent for the few days. No further details are given on the expected duration of the collaboration.

Indian airlines enjoy very high demand. Due to the current lack of aircraft and crews, the Civil Aviation Authority has relaxed the ACMI rules for foreign carriers. Permits are now limited to one year and can be extended upon request and if necessary. For example, Corendon and Turkish Airlines carry out wet lease orders in India.

However, the high demand is no guarantee that you will also have record income. The budget airline Go First had to a few weeks ago Register for bankruptcy. The court document makes serious allegations against Pratt & Whitney. However, the engine manufacturer counters and accuses this airline a long history of slow-moving payments should have. In the meantime, the Civil Aviation Authority is also putting pressure on and hat a comprehensive catalog of tasks including a deadline to Go First.

Legend Airlines is currently the only Romanian airline to have registered four-engine widebodies intended for passenger flights on the AOC. These are three Airbus A340-300s with the registrations YR-LRC, YR-LRD and YR-LRD. The former aircraft was delivered to Finnair in 2007. Later it was in service with Air Belgium, moving to Legend Airlines in June 2022. The YR-LRD has almost the same history, but in the meantime this machine was also used by the Maltese Airhub Airlines as 9H-AHUB. The same applies to the YR-LRD delivered in 2008, which flew as a 9H-HOP for Airhub before it was used bylegen Airlines.