NEW LIVERY -Compagnie Africaine d Aviation (CAA) / 9S-AJS / Airbus A320-214

Istanbul Ataturk/Yesilkoy Int'l Airport - LTBA, Turkey

Photo: spotter_ilkay

AIRPORT - Zurich Airport-Switzerland

Paul Bannwarth
 

SPECIAL STICKER - Iberia unveils commemorative aircraft for the Centenary of the Great Flights of Spanish Aviation.

Iberia unveiled an Airbus A350-900 with a special livery in honor of the Centenary of the Great Flights of Spanish Aviation. The aircraft, registration EC-EOS, received a commemorative sticker with a logo developed by the Spanish Air Force.

 The Centenary of the Great Flights of Spanish Aviation, celebrated between 2026 and 2035, is an initiative of the Spanish Air Force that commemorates the pioneering missions carried out between 1926 and 1935. This period honors aviators who contributed to positioning Spain at the forefront of world aviation, connecting the country to Ibero-America, the Philippines, and Africa.

Mexicana de Aviacion expects to have a fleet of 20 aircraft by the end of 2027, following the delivery of seven more aircraft this year and eight in 2027.

 Mexicana de Aviación will receive the first of seven Embraer E190-E2 aircraft scheduled for delivery this year in May, after incorporating five E195-E2s in 2025, Aviacionline reported.

The state-owned airline expects to end 2026 with a fleet of 12 aircraft, expanding to 20 in 2027, with 10 units of each E190-E2 and E195-E2 model.

NEW AIRLINE - Air Cahana is a Los Angeles-based, FAA-certified Part 135 carrier founded in 2019 by Flyshare Inc.

 To be a "cleanest in the sky" airline, focusing on zero-emission regional travel. Initially, the airline planned to operate premium charter services using Pilatus PC-12 aircraft and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) before transitioning to hydrogen-electric engines from ZeroAvia to achieve true zero-emission flights. 

 Mission: To provide, low-noise, premium, and sustainable travel, focusing on regional routes (e.g., Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe).

Sustainability Focus: Plans to shift from initial biofuel blends to 100% hydrogen-electric propulsion, having ordered 250 engines from ZeroAvia.

Passenger Experience: Operates from private terminals (FBOs), offering a premium "first-class" experience without standard airport TSA, with planned end-to-end service, including ground transfers.

Operations: Founded by aerospace veterans and operated by Flyshare, Inc., based at Los Angeles International (LAX).

Target Market: Short-haul regional flights (roughly ~1,000-mile range).

Fleet: Initially planned on operating Pilatus PC-12s, aiming for ATR turboprops in the future.

Alternative Airlines

AIRPORT - Lisboa-Humberto Delgado-Portugal

 Flyingphotos

AIRPORT - Miami International Airport

Ronald Vermeulen
 

NEW AIRLINE - Flytech Aviation Group is a Malawian start-up airline formed in 2024, authorized to operate scheduled and charter flights

Photo: Flytech

As of early 2026, it is awaiting final regulatory clearance for international services while holding an Air Operator Certificate (AOC), operating a small fleet of older aircraft.

Status: Registered and certified by the Malawi Ministry of Transport in June 2024 to provide charter and scheduled flights.

Operations: While authorized, it is primarily focused on obtaining final clearances for passenger flights to destinations like Harare, Nairobi, and Maputo as of late 2025. It has reportedly leased a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 to another carrier.

Fleet: As of February 2026, the company operates a fleet of 6 aircraft with an average age of over 42 years.

Fleet:

Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia - 4
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-10 - 1
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 - 1

 

NEW AIRLINE - Libyan United Airlines (LUA) is a newly established, privately owned airline, which revealed its logo and branding in early 2026, with plans to launch operations in the first quarter of 2026.

 
Establishment & Ownership: While initial reports suggested a government-backed merger of existing national carriers (Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah Airways), recent reports (Feb/March 2026) strongly emphasize that Libyan United Airlines is a private entity and not linked to any state holding company.

• Leadership: The company appointed Ziad Farhoud as its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

• Launch Plans: The airline is targeting a launch in Q1 2026.

• Fleet: LUA plans to build its fleet primarily around Airbus A320 aircraft to service short- and medium-haul routes, with the goal of connecting Tripoli to destinations across North Africa and the Middle East.

• Objective: The airline aims to improve regional connectivity and improve passenger confidence in Libyan aviation after years of limited operation by the existing state-owned carriers.

VINTAGE Aircraft - Iberia Cargo / Douglas DC-8-62(F) / EC-EMD / Serial #: 46023

Flyingphotos - Madrid

ex - Cargosur - EC-EMD
ex - Cygnus Air - EC-EMD

VINTAGE Aircraft - Cygnus Air / McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62(F) / EC-EMX / Serial #: 45921

Flyingphotos - Madrid

ex - Iberia Cargo - EC-EMX 

ex - Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) - SE-DBG

ex - Cargosur - EC-EMX

 

VINTAGE Aircraft - Agroar Cargo / CS-TMM / Convair CV-580(F)(SCD) / Serial #: 375

Flyingphotos - Lisboa

 ex - European Expedite - OO-EED 

 ex - Nolinor Aviation - C-GNRL

ex -  Summit Airlines - N533SA

 

AIRLINE HISTORY DEFUNCT - Air Afrique was a prominent pan-African airline founded in 1961 as a joint venture between Air France and 11 newly independent West/Central African nations.

Flyingphotos-TU-TAZ-Airbus A310-300-Lisboa

 It was established as the official transnational carrier for rancophone West and Central Africa, because many of these countries did not have the capability to create and maintain a national airline, and had its headquarters in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Flyingphotos - TU-TAO-A300B4-Lisboa

Registered in September 1960 and launched on March 28, 1961, by 11 West and Central African nations (Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Congo, CAR, Chad, and Gabon).

The carrier was established to connect the newly independent nations, ensuring regional transportation and operating as a pan-African, prestigious enterprise to compete with foreign airlines.

Flyingphotos - N1808E-McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62(F)-Lisboa

The airline was a consortium, with 66% of the company owned by the 11 member states, while Air France and Union Aéromaritime de Transport (UAT) held a combined 34% stake.

Operations began in August 1961 with DC-4 aircraft. The company grew rapidly, adopting jet aircraft like the DC-8 by 1962 and entering the widebody era with the DC-10 in 1973.

Headquarters: Located in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Decline and Bankruptcy: Through the 1980s and 1990s, the airline suffered from debt, overstaffing, and management issues, leading to its nickname "Air Maybe". Following the economic downturn post-9/11, it went bankrupt and ceased operations in 2002.

IATA - RK 

ICAO - RKA 

Call sign - AIRAFRIC

Guido Allieri - L1011-Air-Afrique-N185AT-006

Founded - 28 March 1961

Commenced - 1 August 1961

operations Ceased - January 2002

operations Hubs - Abidjan

Secondary - Dakar–Yoff

hubs Subsidiaries 

Air Burkina

Air Mali

Air Mauritani

Guido Allieri Collection - L1011-Air-Afrique-SE-DSD-195

Destinations  - 22 (at the time of closure)

Headquarters - Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Guido Allieri Collection - DC10-Swissair-HB-IHN-242-ZRH in March 1983

The Aircraft wear the classic "chocolate stripe" Swissair color scheme introduced in 1981, there are also 2 AIR AFRIQUE additional titles in fuselage.

The airline historically operated a wide variety of aircraft

Airbus A300 - 9

Airbus A300B4 - 5

Airbus A300-600 - 4

Airbus A310 - 8

Airbus A330 - 2

Boeing 737 - 13

Boeing 747 - 6

Boeing 767 - 2

Douglas DC-8 - 22

Lockheed L-1011 TriStar - 4

McDonnell Douglas DC-10 - 6

McDonnell Douglas MD-80 - 1

Photo: Lewis Grant - TU-TAL-Le Bourget-8-9-1973

 

SPECIAL COLOURS - Starlux Airsorayama Gold - A350-1000, B-58554

The GOLD that will dazzle the world
The STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA GOLD makes its debut at AIRBUS headquarters!

Following the AIRSORAYAMA SILVER, the B-58554 has completed its paint job in Toulouse, France.

The flying masterpiece, designed by legendary Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama, will soon illuminate the skies.

 Photos: StarLux