Boeing 737-3K2 c/n 27635 has flown the coop concluding its time in New Zealand. Registered to Viva Aerobus of Mexico as XA-VIT, the 737 "classic" departed from Christchurch 06 April 2012 as VIV6802 for Wellington, Nadi and Majuro. The Wellington stopover, with Capital Jet Services, was ta result of a fuel shortage at Christchurch - but this was fortuitous as Michael L was able to get some awesome shots.
ZK-SJE had been with the Air NZ Group since October 2001. As brief history of her time in NZ:
Registered PH-TSZ, it arrived at Christchurch from Honolulu and Apia as NZ6691 on 10 October 2001.
The following day it was placed on the NZ register as ZK-SJE with Freedom Air..
It entered service with Freedom Air on 09 November 2001 flying Christchurch-Wellington-Auckland as SJ90/SJ92.
On 13 November 2001 ZK-SJE flew Freedom's inaugural service from Auckland to Coolangatta and back as SJ901/902 and two days later flew the briefly operated Auckland-Newcastle-Auckland route as SJ801/802.
It flew on behalf of Royal Tongan Airlines 21 December 2001 from Auckland to Tonga and back as HRH7272/7271 and to Niue and back on 23 December 2001 as HRH7522/7523.
Its final services with Freedom Air were flown on 07 August 2005 as SJ903/904 Auckland-Coolangatta-Auckalnd as SJ903/904 and it then ferried to Christchurch for repaint and C check as SJ7223.
It flew a post maintenance acceptance flight as NZ6500 on 18 September 2005 and the following day entered service with Air NZ as NZ410 from Christchurch to Wellington and Auckland.
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| Departing Wellington December 2010, MRC photo |
Its final service for Air NZ was flown on 13 December 2011 as NZ359 from Wellington to Christchurch and it underwent an extensive maintenance visit before a test flight on 16 March 2012 as NZ6500 and a customer acceptance flight the following day as NZ6502. It was cancelled from the NZ register 28 March 2012 to become XA-VIT.
Again, thanks to Michael L for these photos:
