Dienstag, 1. Oktober 2024

A full load of action - UEFA Europa League MD2 3 October 2024

3 October 2024


RFS vs. Galatasaray Istanbul

18.45h (19.45h local time), Daugava Stadium, Riga


They seem to like a big plane for their away games at Galatasaray, so why change the plan? An Airbus A330-300 of Turkish Airlines will take the team to Latvia for their away game at RFS.


TK3235 IST 1500-1810 RIX A333 (02/10/24)

TK3236 RIX 0015-0330 IST A333 (04/10/24)


Qarabag Agdam vs. Malmö FF

18.45h (20.45h local time), Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, Baku


It is a long away trip for Malmö against Qarabag. Neither team had a victorious start into the league phase. Malmö lost at home against Rangers while Qarabag were beaten 3-0 away at Tottenham.


JTD045 MMX 1400-2025 GYD B738 OY-JYA (01/10/24)

ENT555 GYD xxxx-1450 MMX B738 (04/10/24)


Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. FC Midtjylland

18.45h, Partizan Stadium, Belgrade


One of the teams to play in exile this season is Maccabi Tel Aviv, due to the tumultuous situation in the Middle East. They chose Belgrade as their home away from home and will host FC Midtjylland from Denmark there. Beaten in the first game against SC Braga, Maccabi will look to strike back right away. Midtjylland drew 1-1 in their opener against Hoffenheim from Germany.


FRO924 MMX 0915-1000 BLL SB20 OY-FSE (02/10/24, ferry flight)

FRO24 BLL 1135-1410 BEG SB20 OY-FSE (02/10/24)


Olympiacos Piraeus vs. SC Braga

18.45h (19.45h local time), Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus


Former finalists of the competition, Braga travel to Greece to face Olympiacos. The Conference League winners of last season got beaten 2-0 by Olympique Lyonnais in the first round and will look to get first points on the board while Braga enjoyed a winning start against Maccabi Tel Aviv.


MLM712 GRO 1310-1400 OPO B735 9H-MAC (01/10/24, ferry flight)

MLM712 OPO 1535-2145 ATH B735 9H-MAC (01/10/24) 


Slavia Prague vs. Ajax Amsterdam

18.45h, Fortuna Arena, Prague


Two winners from the first round face off at the Fortuna Arena in Prague. Ajax beat Besiktas 4-0, while Slavia had a 2-0 away win in Bulgaria against Ludogorets.


QS4342 AMS 1400-1525 PRG B738 OK-TVM (02/10/24)

QS4343 PRG 1500-1630 AMS B738 (04/10/24)


TSG Hoffenheim vs. Dynamo Kyiv

18.45h, Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim


Life is definitely not easy for Dynamo Kyiv at the moment. They can not play at home and they lost their first match of the league phase 0-3 against Lazio. Hoffenheim for their part were also misfiring in the draw in Denmark against Midtjylland, but at least they have a point to show for.


QS4588 LUZ 1445-1645 FKB B737 OK-SWT (01/10/24)

QS458F FKB 1745-1850 PRG B737 OK-SWT (01/10/24, ferry flight)


FC Porto vs. Manchester United

21.00h (20.00h local time), Estadio Dragao, Porto


This might be the biggest clash in the second round of the league phase. Two clubs that would usually hope to be in the Champions League face each other. United already have ground to make up after the disappointing draw at home against Twente Enschede. Porto are even worse off, having lost their first match away in Norway against Bodø/Glimt.


EZE586 LBA 1200-1225 MAN E170 G-CMPI (02/10/24, ferry flight)

EZE9301 MAN 1400-1630 OPO E170 G-CMPI (02/10/24)

FI1340 KEF 0850-1205 MAN B752 TF-FIA (02/10/24, ferry flight)

FI1340 MAN 1530-1750 OPO B752 TF-FIA (02/10/24)

AP1641 MAN 0750-xxxx OPO B738 (03/10/24)





AP1642 OPO xxxx-0150(+1) MAN B738 (03/10/24)

FI1341 OPO xxxx-1625 MAN B752 (04/10/24)

EZE9302 OPO xxxx-1710 MAD E170 (04/10/24)


Elfsborg IF vs. AS Roma

21.00h, Borås Arena, Borås


After a home draw against Athletic Bilbao, Roma face the trip up North to Borås for the game against Elfsborg. The Swedish runners-up from last season only got beaten 3-2 rather late in the game against AZ Alkmaar the week before. 


AZ8950 FCO 1530-1830 GOT A20N EI-HOM (02/10/24)

AZ8951 GOT 0100-xxxx FCO A320 (04/10/24)


Rangers FC vs. Olympique Lyonnais

21.00h (20.00h local time), Ibrox Park, Glasgow


Both these teams won their first matches of the competition 2-0. Rangers did the job away in Malmö while Lyon beat Olympiacos 2-0 at home. 


EUP421 LYS 1015-1115 GLA E145 F-HBPE (02/10/24)


Real Sociedad San Sebastian vs. RSC Anderlecht

21.00h, Anoeta, San Sebastian


Anderlecht may seem lucky to travel to Spain only on Wednesday this week. After all, a major strike went on at Brussels Airport which may have disrupted their departure to the Basque Country. They will fly in and out of Bilbao instead of San Sebastian.


SN1183 BRU 1000-1155 BIO A320 OO-SNK (02/10/24)

SN1184 BIO 1100-1300 BRU A320 OO-SNQ (04/10/24)


Athletic Bilbao vs. AZ Alkmaar

21.00h, San Mamés, Bilbao


Another Benelux team to travel to the Basque Country is Alkmaar. They will enjoy the luxury of a KlasJet Boeing 737, once again flying under an AirExplore callsign.


ED8101 AMS xxxx-1240 BIO (02/10/24)

ED8102 BIO 1100-xxxx AMS (04/10/24)


Besiktas JK vs. Eintracht Frankfurt

21.00h (22.00h local time), Besiktas Stadium, Istanbul


Traditionally a club with a big follower base, Eintracht Frankfurt continue that tradition and travel to Istanbul not by themselves. The team will be joined by two plane loads of supporters on the trip to Istanbul.


XQ6698 FRA 1040-1425 IST B738 TC-SPM (02/10/24)

DE9198 FRA 1345-1735 IST A20N (02/10/24)

DE9298 FRA 0600-0945 IST B753 (03/10/24)

DE9299 IST xxxx-0620 FRA B753 (04/10/24)

DE9199 IST xxxx-1340 FRA A20N (04/10/24)

XQ6699 IST xxxx-1640 FRA B738 (04/10/24)


Viktoria Plzen vs. Ludogorets Razgrad

21.00h, Doosan Arena, Plzen


It is Czech opponents for the second time in this league phase for Ludogorets. The first time up, they lost 0-2 against Slavia Prague. Will they fare better away at Viktoria?


BUC1945 VAR xxxx-1200 PRG A320 (02/10/24)

BUC1946 PRG 1505-xxxx VAR A320 (04/10/24)


Union St-Gilloise vs. Bodø/Glimt

21.00h, Stade Roi Beaudoin, Brussels


Flying high after a home win over the big FC Porto, Bodø will look to continue their great streak and beat Union St-Gilloise in Brussels. The home team is using the bigger Roi Beaudoin stadium as their own ground is not fit for UEFA competitions.


ENT589 BOO xxxx-1505 BRU B738 OM-HEX (02/10/24)

ENT590 BRU 1200-xxxx BOO B738 SP-ESF (04/10/24)

Montag, 30. September 2024

An early start - UEFA Conference League MD1 2 October 2024

2 October 2024


Istanbul Basaksehir vs. SK Rapid Wien

16.30h (17.30h local time), Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium, Istanbul


In one of the two first games of the Conference League proper this season, Rapid Wien travel to Istanbul to face Basaksehir. Rapid have qualified directly for the league phase thanks to their league position. In the meantime, the Turkish representatives had to survive three qualifier round to make it in the league phase of UEFA's third-tier international club competition.


TK3276 VIE 1000-1255 IST A321 TC-JTM (01/10/24)

TK3273 IST 2120-2245 VIE A321 TC-JSP (02/10/24)


Turkish Airlines Airbus A321 TC-JST
seen at Basel-Mulhouse in July 2019



Vitoria Guimarães vs. Celje

16.30h (15.30h local time), Estadio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães


As the national champions of Slovenia, Celje started their qualifying path in the UEFA Champions League, but defeated by Slovan Bratislava and then Shamrock Rovers, they still had to beat Armenia's Pyunik Yerevan for their spot in the league phase of the Conference League. Vitoria beat FC Zürich and Zrinjski Mostar comprehensively to qualify.


C3281 LJU 1110-1325 OPO A320 9A-BTK (01/10/24)

C3209 OPO 2145-0140(+1) LJU A320 9A-BTK (02/10/24)

Montag, 23. September 2024

Second part of the first matchday - UEFA Europa League MD1 26 September 2024

As this week is the UEFA Europa League's exclusive week, the match day is split across Wednesday and Thursday. Nine matches took place on Wednesday, with another nine matches to be played on Thursday. This means more action on the pitch, but also in the sky, where most teams travel to their away matches.


26 September 2024


Fenerbahçe SK vs. Union Saint-Gilloise

18.45h (19.45h local time), Sükrü Saracoglu, Istanbul


The second part of the match week will be opened in Istanbul. Fenerbahçe will look to bounce back from the narrow defeat against Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers while Union Saint-Gilloise are looking to make this their best international season ever. The Belgian team travels to Istanbul on a Brussels Airlines Airbus A319.


SN1165 BRU 1200-1620 SAW A319 OO-SSA (25/09/24)

SN1166 SAW 1445-1720 BRU A319 OO-SSS (27/09/24)


Malmö FF vs. Rangers FC

18.45h, Stadion, Malmö


While Malmö FF may be the reigning Swedish champions, the Champions League proper proved to be one step too far for them. Rangers tried to attempt and qualify for the Champions League too, via the league path. But just like for Malmö, the big competition was too big for them.


ENT547 GLA xxxx-1730 MMX B738 (25/09/24)


AS Roma vs. Athletic Bilbao

21.00h, Stadio Olimpico, Rome


Two well experienced European clubs meet at the iconic Stadio Olimpico in Rome to start their quest for a ticket to the UEFA Europa League final in Bilbao. That is correct - it may be a home final for the Athletic Club, if everything goes well throughout the season. AS Roma with their star strikers like Artem Dovbyk or Paulo Dybala will definitely not make life any easier for the Basque team however.


JQ1265 BIO 1045-1255 FCO B738 (25/09/24)

JQ1266 FCO 0115-0325 VIT B738 (27/09/24)


Olympique Lyonnais vs. Olympiacos

21.00h, Parc OL, Décines-Charpieu


One of Greece's finest teams makes the trip over from Athens to Lyon. Olympiacos finished the Greek Super League in third place in summer 2024 and therefore qualified for the Europa League. The bigger achievement for them however must have been winning the UEFA Europa Conference League in spring 2024, becoming the first Greek club team to bring home a European trophy.


AEE4080 ATH xxxx-1315 LYS A320 (25/09/24)

AEE4081 LYS 0115-xxxx ATH A320 (26/09/24)


Ajax Amsterdam vs. Besiktas JK

21.00h, Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam


A lot of away support will be expected in Amsterdam. But with so many Turkish supporters leaving in the Netherlands and nearby Germany, expectations for charter flights were low from the beginning. The Besiktas team arrives at Amsterdam from Sabiha Gökçen on a Freebird Airlines Airbus A320.


FH1903 SAW xxxx-1710 AMS A320 (25/09/24)

FH1903 AMS 1200-xxxx SAW A320 (27/09/24)


TC-FHP, Freebird Airlines, Airbus A320
seen at Manchester in September 2022



Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Viktoria Plzen

21.00h, Waldstadion, Frankfurt


The journey from Plzen to Frankfurt may not be particularly long. But even for the bus-travel-hardened Czech people, an aircraft is better than a bus journey. Therefore, Viktoria Plzen decided to charter a Frost Air Saab 2000 for their quick trip to Germany. 


FRO060 PRG 1155-xxxx FRA SB20 (25/09/24)

FRO061 FRA xxxx-1130 PRG SB20 (27/09/24)


SC Braga vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv

21.00h (20.00h local time), Estadio Municipal, Braga


In very difficult times back home, a trip to the West must feel like a liberation for the Maccabi Tel Aviv team and staff. Whether they can maintain concentration and dedication for European-level football remains to be seen however. SC Braga may not sound like the fanciest of oppositions. But they are a team that is not to be taken lightly in any competition.


LY5563 TLV 1415-xxxx OPO B738 (25/09/24)

LY5564 OPO xxxx-1650 TLV B738 (27/09/24)