Kuzu Airlines of Turkey is looking fora new customer for A300B4 it currentlyhas on wet-lease to China Eastern oncethat contract expires in November. TheChinese carrier is getting its own A300-600 conversions. Kuzu’s other customeris Air Macau, for which it flies four B4son a yearly renewable contract, and theTurkish carrier has a further B4 coveringmaintenance.

Michael Asher, vice president commercialfor the airline, says the B4scontinue to be a commercially viableaircraft, flying 300 plus hours a month,and expects the one currently flying forChina Eastern to be easy to place. "Wehave had a number of approaches fromcarriers in China and Asia, but also fromAmerica and Australia," he says. "Everyone is looking for these aircraft."

Despite this, Kuzu is also lookingbeyond the B4 to other aircraft types,after the Turkish government placed aban on all aircraft over 25 years old. "Wecan continue to operate the B4s, but wecan’t add any more, so we are looking atthe A300-600 or 767," Asher says.

Rival Turkish carrier MNG surprisedthe market by placing an order for Airbus’new A330 production freighter, butAsher says that this is not being consideredby Kuzu. Nor, despite having unusedrights across the Atlantic, is it interestedin B747Fs.