The Bulgarian airline European Air Charter was the last operator of the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 in Europe, after ending operations with the model on October 1st, on flight H67216 on the Frankfurt (FRA) – Sofia (SOF) route.
Operating 'Mad Dog' since April 2021, European Air Charter operated the LZ-LDJ since April 2021, an aircraft that was a major attraction for spotters and aviation enthusiasts in Europe.
On the old continent, this same plane was operated by Alitalia, the company that received the new jet from the factory in 1995, remaining in the fleet until 2012. In June 2021, it was Bulgarian Air Charter's turn to operate the jet from June 2013 until April 2021.
European Air Charter, which replaced Bulgarian Air Charter, operated eight units of the MD-82, however, it began retiring the legendary jet in August 2022, retiring the last unit only in October 2023.
Increasingly aiming at operational savings, the aviation industry has been needing more efficient aircraft with lower fuel consumption, becoming a setback for enthusiasts who appreciate classic aircraft.
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