The Italian Aerospace Information Web
by Aeromedia - corso Giambone 46/18 - 10135 Torino (Italy)
Tupolev Tu-154s phased out by Malev
In an effort to restructure its fleet and network, national Hungarian airline Malev phased out, end of March, its five remaining Tupolev Tu-154s, ending a long standing association with Russian airliners. The first of a total of 18 Tupolev Tu-154 three-engined jetliners (NATO code Careless) was delivered to Malev in 1972. Three years ago remaining Tupolev Tu-134s were also phased out.
Hungary joined the club of former Eastern block countries, like Poland (LOT) and the Czech Republic (CSA), now using exclusively western equipment for their main international passenger air services.
After WW2, for more than four decades, all the airlines of European countries beyond the curtain relied almost completely upon aircraft produced by the Russian industry.
After the facts of 1989, the commercial ties between Eastern countries and the former USSR faded away. Many factors, mainly political and financial, prevented a quick replacement of obsolete or not competitive airliners then in use. Transition began gradually, with regional aircraft like ATR leading the way to more modern equipment. In this phase, Tupolev and Ilyushin aircraft were retained for medium/long haul services.
The last Malev Tu-154B-2s were put up for sale and the airline fleet is now formed by three Boeing B.767s, thirteen Boeing B.737s of various versions and six Fokker 70s.
In the picture: Tupolev Tu-154B-2 HA-LCV in Malev colours. The aircraft, previously used by Aeroflot as CCCP-85544, was phased out by Malev in March 2000 (photo by Aeromedia)
(Aeromedia, June 2001)