When you just want to fly on a 4-engined aircraft

Four-engined aircraft are certainly a dying breed. Last year I flew on a Boeing 747-8 "Jumbo" from Frankfurt to Palma - and yes, that time I was spending a few days in Palma, such a warm and crystal clear water paradise. Last time I worked on a A340 was in October 2019. So, when a friend of mine heard that TAP Air Portugal was leasing an A340 for the Lisbon-Vienna route, he didn't want to miss that opportunity and challenged me for that trip.

And there we were waiting for our turnaround trip to Vienna.

9H-SUN & 9H-SOL

The A340 assigned to this flight would be the one with 9H-SOL tail number, the one in an all white livery and the very same one that landed in the Antarctica some months ago.

9H-SOL © Hi Fly

Before Hi Fly, this A340 flew for Iberia and it keeps the same cabin interiors of this airline. When it operated for Iberia, it was named Maria Barbara de Braganza. We booked economy class for the outgoing flight and business for the return.

The views from my window seat:

And finally arriving at Vienna Schwechat Airport:

Speed brakes deployed during descent

Just before landing.

Then, parked side by side with a Korean Air Dreamliner:

Our super short layover in Vienna was not totally in vain as we had time to drink a weissbier in the airport terminal before boarding again the same aircraft to Lisbon. But this time in business class!

9H-SOL Business Class (ex-Iberia)

Sunset over the clouds

All in all it was a very enjoyable flight with a nice Hi Fly crew and an unusual spacious aircraft in such a short run. I know this seems a crazy plan, but in my defense I have to say that I already know Vienna very well from the time when, in 2018, I made my first (and only) around the world trip to the date, which included five days in North Korea!

More photos of these flights in the 'LisbonJet's Pics' section of the blog.