Aerolineas Argentinas 737 MAX 8, LV-KIT, c/n 43197/7450, taxis out for takeoff at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 26Jul24. (Phil Perry Photo)
Ukraine International Airlines had leasing agreements in place for three 737 MAX 8's from ICBC Aviation Leasing of China, all of which made their first flights in the first half of 2019, presumably with plans to be delivered that year, but they were all ntu (not taken up), possibly postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, if any plans were afoot for delivering the aircraft to UIA with the winding down of the pandemic, they were soon put aside with the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24Feb22 and the subsequent suspension of all flights by the carrier. The aircraft were apparently stored at the Boeing manufacturing facility at Paine Field (PAE) near Seattle painted in full Ukraine International colors and titles.
An agreement later came about between ICBC and Aerolineas Argentinas for the latter airline to lease all three aircraft with the first delivery of aircraft c/n 43197/7450, ex-UR-MXA to Argentina taking place on a ferry flight on a Seattle (SEA) - Miami (MIA) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) routing departing 16May24 and arriving in Argentina on 17May24.
The plane was still in full UIA colors and titles, but was promptly flown to the FAdeA (Fabrica Argentina de Aviacion) airfield in Cordoba, located just southwest of the city (not the Cordoba (COR) commercial airline airport) for full repainting in Aerolineas Argentinas livery and titles.
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