Venezuela's Conviasa adds first A340-300

Gov’t axes new permits at México City Int’l for new airport

Venezuela's Conviasa adds first A340-600

Conviasa (V0, Caracas Simón Bolivar) took delivery of its first A340-600 on Tuesday, March 15, with the arrival of YV3533 (msn 376) at Caracas Simón Bolivar. The 20-year-old jet was acquired from the state-owned Venezuelan carrier's technical partner Mahan Air (W5, Tehran Mehrabad) in Iran, where it was EP-MMF.

ADS-B data shows YV3533 conducted a return test flight to Havana Int'l in Cuba on March 18 and is due to be used to open up flights to México City Felipe Angeles later this month. It will eventually be deployed on ultra-longhaul flights to the Middle East and Russia.

Conviasa's widebody fleet includes one A340-200 and one A340-300 and has also been linked to the A340-500 although its ability to source the type on the open market may prove difficult given it is under US sanctions.

Venezuela's Solar Cargo adds first B727 freighter

Solar Cargo (4S, Valencia Arturo Michelena Int'l) has taken delivery of its first of two B727-200(F)s, sources in Venezuela have reported.

At 41 years of age, HK-4401 (msn 22609) arrived at Caracas Simón Bolivar last week still featuring Líneas Aéreas Suramericanas (4L, Bogotá) colours. It is uncertain if the second aircraft will also be ex-LAS inventory given the Colombian carrier has another three B727 freighters in its fleet and has already signalled plans to transition away from the type.

Until now, Solar has had no known aircraft in its fleet since retiring its sole DC-10-30(F) in 2016.

Neither LAS nor Solar Cargo were available for comment.

Currently, only Transcarga International Airways, Vensecar Internacional, and Conviasa's Emtrasur Cargo subsidiary are the only Venezuelan airlines to operate dedicated freighters.

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