Just like the UEFA Champions League, the Europa League this year kicks off with an exclusive week and matches played over two days rather than all on one day. A total of 36 teams qualified for the league phased that has the same structure as in the Champions League. Compared to previous years, no teams parachute from one competition to another once the season proper has started. This also means that the winners of the previous year's UEFA Europa League (Atalanta Bergamo in this case) will not have the chance to defend their title. All in all, the new format should provide exciting fixtures however, even if the league phase has been extended by two games compared to the "old" group stage.
25 September 2024
Bodø/Glimt vs. FC Porto
18.45h, Aspmyra Stadium, Bodø
Having only finished 3rd in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, FC Porto face a trip up to the North where they face Bodø/Glimt in the first round of the league phase. For the 4,5h flight from Porto do Bodø, the team uses widebody equipment in form of a EuroAtlantic Airways Boeing 777-200/ER.
YU709P LIS 0950-1040 OPO B772 CS-TSX (24/09/24, ferry flight)
YU1893 OPO 1510-2030 BOO B772 CS-TSX (24/09/24)
YU1893 BOO 1200-1530 OPO B772 CS-TSX (26/09/24)
AZ Alkmaar vs. Elfsborg
18.45h, AZ Stadion, Alkmaar
Two of the smaller teams in the competition face off in the first round. It is no big surprise that the charter flight for Elfsborg is also a rather small one - Frost Air with one of their Saab 2000 aircraft.
FRO81 GOT 1500-1630 AMS SB20 OY-FSD (24/09/24)
Manchester United vs. Twente Enschede
21.00h (20.00h local time), Old Trafford, Manchester
The UEFA Europa League may not be Manchester United's aim in terms of European football. But in years of lesser success, they have to make do with opponents like Twente Enschede rather than the big clubs that play in the Champions League. Both the Twente FC team and a group of supporters will first head to Germany, where the flights depart from Münster-Osnabrück to Manchester.
EZE959 HUY 0700-0905 FMO E170 G-CMLI (24/09/24, ferry flight)
EZE9599 FMO 1100-1130 MAN E170 G-CMLI (24/09/24)
FRO903 HAM 0930-1010 FMO SB20 OY-FSB (24/09/24, ferry flight)
FRO003 FMO xxxx-1135 MAN SB20 (25/09/24)
EZE9600 MAN 1400-xxxx FMO E170 (26/09/24)
FRO004 MAN 1400-xxxx FMO SB20 (26/09/24)
OGC Nice vs. Real Sociedad San Sebastian
21.00h, Allianz Riviera, Nice
This season's Spanish representatives in the UEFA Europa League are exclusively from the Basque country. Real Sociedad qualified for the secondary European Cup by virtue of finishing 6th in La Liga. Their opponents away at first are OGC Nice, 5th of the French Ligue 1 in the 2023-24 season. The travel arrangements include the typical late night return to Vitoria instead of the departure port, owing to night flight restrictions at San Sebastian Donostia airport. And not just this - the outbound flight departs from nearby Pamplona as well.
ENT555 PNA xxxx-1240 NCE B738 (24/09/24)
ENT558 NCE 0115-xxxx VIT B738 (26/09/24)
Ludogorets Razgrad vs. Sparta Prague
21.00h (22.00h local time), Huvepharma Arena, Razgrad
For Bulgarian champions Ludogorets, it will be two Czech opponents in as many weeks, starting with Sparta Prague who also started their international campaign in the UEFA Champions League qualifier rounds. For the two-hour trip to Bulgaria, Sparta will once again count on the services of Smartwings and one of their Boeing 737-800s - regular guests to Varna on charter flights as well.
Update: Smartwings sent A320 ZS-GAC, on lease from Global Aviation in South Africa for this job.
QS4344 PRG 1530-1835 VAR A320 ZS-GAC (23/09/24)
QS4345 VAR 1400-1510 PRG B738 (26/09/24)
Dynamo Kyiv vs. SS Lazio Rome
21.00h, Volkspark, Hamburg
Dynamo Kyiv are forced to play their home matches in exile and will do so in Hamburg. First up, they will host Lazio, who will arrive from Rome with Aeroitalia. At the same time, Dynamo Kyiv will also arrive in Hamburg by plane, using LOT for the trip over from Lublin.
LO7237 LUZ 1100-1250 HAM E75S SP-LIK (24/09/24)
LO7236 HAM 1340-1505 WAW E75S SP-LIL (24/09/24, ferry flight)
XZ8822 FCO 1545-1815 HAM B738 9H-GAE (24/09/24)
XZ8823 HAM 1030-xxxx FCO B738 (26/09/24)
LO7283 HAM 1700-xxxx LUZ (26/09/24)
Galatasaray Istanbul vs. PAOK Saloniki
21.00h (22.00h local time), Rams Park (Ali Sami Yen), Istanbul
It is a short trip and a late departure for PAOK on the way over to Istanbul. Aegean Airlines will do the job with one of their Airbus A320s.
AEE4190 SKG 1730-1830 IST A320 SX-DVV (24/09/24)
AEE6192 IST 1930-2045 SKG A320 SX-DVV (24/09/24, ferry flight)
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