Carpatair, a Romanian airline based in Ghiroda, officially retired its last Fokker 100, marking the end of the model’s commercial service in Europe.
The aircraft, registered as YR-FKB, completed its final commercial flight in early November 2023, on the route between Genoa and Palermo. It was subsequently withdrawn from commercial service and sold to an anonymous buyer. Almost a month after its last commercial flight, it will be transferred from “Traian Vuia” Airport to Woensdrecht Airport in the Netherlands. The plane was assembled in the second half of 1991, joined the Romanian airline’s fleet in the summer of 2005, and had a capacity for 105 passengers.
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The Fokker 100 is a short-range twin-engine aircraft. Manufacturing began in 1986, although its design dates back to 1983. The manufacturer aimed to capitalize on the success of the Fokker 28 Fellowship and the absence of a regional jet in the world. The first aircraft was completed on November 1, 1986, with the registration PH-MKH, and the second on February 25, 1987, with the registration PH-MKC.
It received certification on November 20, 1987, and the first aircraft was delivered to Swissair in February 1988. The order from American Airlines for 75 aircraft, placed in March 1989, was the largest ever made to the Dutch manufacturer, valued at 3.1 billion dollars. The model gradually lost ground to the improvements of the Boeing 737 and the introduction of the Airbus 320 in 1987. After several years of losses, Fokker went bankrupt in 1996. This event sealed the fate of the Fokker 100, which ceased production in 1997.
The second-to-last aircraft of this type was transferred to Woensdrecht last week. Instead of these two Fokker 100s, Carpatair has acquired two Airbus A319s. The airline was the last in Europe operating commercial flights with the Fokker 100.
However, there are still two planes of this type in the fleet of the Slovak government. In total, 59 units remain in commercial service worldwide. Air Niugini of Papua New Guinea has 4, Alliance Airlines operates 20, Network Aviation 16, Skippers Airlines 2, and Virgin Australia Regional 8, all in Australia. In Iran, the model is popular, operating for Iran Air (2), Iran Aseman Airlines (4), Karun Airlines (3), and Qeshm Airlines (2). Skyward Express of Kenya closes the list with 1 unit.
