Olympic Airlines Ends JFK Service September 28th

[Matt Molnar]

It's official: Olympic Airlines becomes "Olympic Air" as of September 29th, with lots of aircraft being dumped (including all four A340s) and all long haul service will be eliminated.

Catch them while you can...last JFK flight will operate on Monday 9/28.

Delta's JFK-ATH service will codeshare with the new airline.

:arrow: Details: Olympic Airlines Ends New York Service September 28th, Catch Them While You Can (http://nycaviation.com/2009/09/19/olympic-airlines-ends-new-york-service-september-28th-catch-them-while-you-can/)

[maestra80]

Glad I was able to catch the Olympic A340 twice while here at JFK this past weekend!! This was my first time catching it *ever*...and soon it will be gone!! Does Olympic fly to any other U.S. airports?

-Wendy:)

[Iberia A340-600]

Their only other A340 destinations were YUL/YYZ, JNB, and LHR. The Greek government also used the A340s for long-haul state visits so I wonder what they will do with the absence of a long-haul aircraft in the national airline. Perhaps

[cancidas]

Their only other A340 destinations were YUL/YYZ, JNB, and LHR. The Greek government also used the A340s for long-haul state visits so I wonder what they will do with the absence of a long-haul aircraft in the national airline. Perhaps
maybe "acquire" one for themselves. they also have a fleet of Embraer Legacies.

[Matt Molnar]

Their only other A340 destinations were YUL/YYZ, JNB, and LHR. The Greek government also used the A340s for long-haul state visits so I wonder what they will do with the absence of a long-haul aircraft in the national airline. Perhaps
I think the government actually owns all the A340s, and Olympic leases them back from the gov't. Maybe they'll keep one and sell the other three.

[Speedbird1]

Thanks for the tip. This is very sad for me. I have been photographing the Olympic arrivals from Athens, flight 411 since the service was a B747. I fondly remember Olympic Zeus and the others.There was SX-OAA, SX-OAB, SX-OAC and SX-OAD. After the B747 service was switched to A343's, I was saddened. Having no Olympic at all is really sad. Times are really getting bad. This brings to mind when many airlines ordered Concordes only to cancel their orders when the price of jet fuel skyrocketed. I will hurry to Terminal One to see Olympic for the last time. I even have a model of the Olympic B747 in my house. I also used to visit the Olympic Tower on 5th Avenue to see and touch their huge B747 model and get brochures and timetables. The staff was always very courteous. They gave me ticket jackets to add to my collection. Every other airline also gave me the jackets except for Saudia; they refused.

[Tom_Turner]

Its been quite a run for Olympic at JFK. Their colors were a favorite of mine back in 1968.... 1246041 Was very sorry to see the 707s go...

As for routes in the US, they were at Dulles weekly back in the late 60s/early 70s. Not sure how long that lasted. Not long I suppose since I see no images of them at DC on A.net.

Tom

[Mayi757]

Didn't they also fly to ORD not too many years ago?

Until what year they brought 747s to JFK?

It was an item in my to-do list and a joy to finally photograph Olympic's timeless livery at JFK


Mario

[olympicairways]

Olympic Airways used the 747-200 into JFK until 1999

They used to service ORD in the early 1990's and prior to that in 1969 via Montreal.

2 more flights until the retirement of the A340's and Olympics final days in New York. :(

Election day in Greece is on October 4-there are "rumors "that the government wants to buy back Olympic -the outcome of the election will determine if that will happen or not-t was an issue in the debates that were held last week.
Olympic Airways/Airlines is now reduced to nothing but a regional carrier thanks to the new owners-all staff were let go at Jfk, JNB, YUL, YYZ, all German Airports, MAD, Manchester, and Moscow as wel as other stations abroad.
The Athens-New York Route by the way accounted for 12% of OA profits

[Speedbird1]

So I ended plane spotting that same year since Olympic no longer flew a B747. I have an Icarus Frequent Flyer Card somewhere in my collection. I forgot where I put it among my souvenirs. My visits to their Manhattan offices was always cordial.

[olympicairways]

Olympic Airlines Flight 411 left Athens today at 11:57am-(Athens times)-4:57a.m. (NYC time)
no luck in finding the registration of the plane-another last flight that took off was headed toward YUL/YYZ-that flight left about an hour earlier.(2 OA A340's are arriving in North America this afternoon)
Hard to believe today is the last day of Olympic Airlines in North America

[Speedbird1]

I'll try to go to T1 to see Olympic and say goodby. I'll try getting the registration; maybe SX-DFB ? I see it was SX-DFA, "Olympia" their flagship aircraft.

[santobonao]

Is so sad that many airlines from the Eastern Europe are dropping services at JFK like Czech Airlines, Malev, Tarom and now Olympic, that an lame. New york have one of the greatest populations of Greek and that sad that they leaving JFK cause the new company doesn't want to have the Airbus 340 anymore. What an shame!!!

[fly.mcs]

SX-DFA (Olympia) arrived RWY22L at approx. 14.54

[fly.mcs]

The sun was in a weird spot (directly in front of the aircraft) so the shot was a bit backlit. However it was great to experience the final arrival (for now) of my nation's airline into New York!

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss58/flymcs/NYCAvDSC_0306C.png

[Matt Molnar]

Awesome, glad someone caught it.

[santobonao]

The sun was in a weird spot (directly in front of the aircraft) so the shot was a bit backlit. However it was great to experience the final arrival (for now) of my nation's airline into New York!

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss58/flymcs/NYCAvDSC_0306.png
Nice picture, FLY.MCS

[Speedbird1]

I saw Olympic taxy into T1 as I had no way to get to 22L. Unfortunately, she parked in back of the terminal. It was SX-DFA "Olympia". I stayed until she departed where 2 Port Authority trucks sprayed water around the A343 for her final visit. I said farewell to the staff at the ticket office. They were of course very sad. This is strange, when she left the terminal, instead of taxying-out to Rwy 13R for departure, she turned north over the bridge towards Rwy 13L. Was the aircraft getting a final tour of JFK?? I waited to see her depart but never did. It was getting dark.

[Speedbird1]

We also lost the flights from Uzbekistan Airlines as well as Balkan Bulgarian Airlines and JAT when Yugoslavia broke-up. JAT had a nice bright blue D10. Already mentioned was Tarom Romanian, Malev Hungarian and CSA will soon end services to JFK. We recently lost some nice Asian airliners: Thai Airways, Israir as well as Air Tahiti but they only came for a year or two. There was a new service from Kosovo from Scanderbeg Air using Terminal One. I see it was discontinued. No more LTU with that bright orange tail or Condor with that lemon-yellow tail either, but we now have Air Berlin instead. Also, I never see Aerolineas Argentinas anymore. I believe it only comes in the winter nowadays with an Airbus A343.

[T-Bird76]

There is a new service from Kosovo from Scanderberg Air using Terminal One.

They went out of business.

[SengaB]

OAL A343 was the first shot I took after I moved to NY and during my first trip to JFK.
http://images3.jetphotos.net/img/2/8/7/1/46528_1042781178.jpg

Senga

[Matt Molnar]

There is a new service from Kosovo from Scanderberg Air using Terminal One.

They went out of business.
No they didn't, it was just a seasonal operation. They plan on doing it again next summer.

[Mayi757]

Huge loss airplane-photography wise for NYC. Perfect livery on IMO the best looking Airbus jet.

Love the shots by both fly.Mcs and Senga.

[olympic]

Goodmorning,
I am an airline pilot here in Greece, I am very sad to see Olympic stop services to JFK and all of their long range routes, I have flown this route for the past 2 decades.
I am wondering if we can find the last ATC recordings from startup,taxi,takeoff and departure of the last Olympic flight from JFK.

Thank you.

[olympicairways]

Olympic Airways/Airlines-Gone but not forgotten!!
1957-2009
Ath-Jfk-Ath route 1966-2009

[SengaB]

Amazing so we lost not only ONE A340 this week but TWO....Turkish and Olympic. Just devastating.

So many 4 engined aircraft have been dropped form JFK its amazing. JFK has to be the 777-300 capitol of the world now as opposed to the 747 capitol.

Senga

[Speedbird1]

Agreed, we also lost the Korean Air morning/afternoon flight recently to a B773. Their evening flight at 2000 is still a B744. Air France quietly switched-over to dropping their B744 altogether from CDG to JFK about 1 year ago. Recently, JAL switched and now we hear that QFA and SIA will be switching-over soon. I guess the 2 engine aircraft is much more fuel efficient and more economical to fly. No wonder Concordes were grounded. Only Air China and British Airways will still be using the B744 as well as freight flights (Cargolux, Asiana, CAL, etc.)

[eric8669]

Agreed, we also lost the Korean Air morning/afternoon flight recently to a B773. Their evening flight at 2000 is still a B744. Air France quietly switched-over to dropping their B744 altogether from CDG to JFK about 1 year ago. Recently, JAL switched and now we hear that QFA and SIA will be switching-over soon. I guess the 2 engine aircraft is much more fuel efficient and more economical to fly. No wonder Concordes were grounded. Only Air China and British Airways will still be using the B744 as well as freight flights (Cargolux, Asiana, CAL, etc.)


Air France has been sending in a 747 everyday for their early evening arrival into JFK and they have been flying the A340 also during the day.

[Speedbird1]

You bring-up a good point, why are some airlines like AFR, KAL, and JAL using their B744s for evening and night service only? It seems they are trying to hide them. They use the B777s and Airbuses for the more-popular afternoon flights. Why?

[Mayi757]

It could also be that we're still in a worldwide recession; Emirates dropped the JFK A380 service.

JFK is becoming the land of long-range twinjets with very few airlines using 747s, hard to believe. Few airports get a combination of so many 777-300, 767, and A330 airlines.

Asiana is one of the few who sends pax 747s. EL AL still does, and KLM sometimes, no?