Air Malta has sold another BAe Avroliner RJ85, bringing to three the number of RJ aircraft it has sold since the aircraft were returned from service with AzzurraAir.

The aircraft was sold to Amiri Flight, an Abu Dhabi company, which had already purchased one RJ70 from Air Malta a year ago.

The agreement for the sale of the RJ85 was concluded last May. The aircraft was delivered to the new owner earlier this month, after undergoing maintenance and modifications. The aircraft was previously operated by Club Air of Italy.

It is understood that the aircraft will join the fleet of Abu Dhabi-based Royal Jet, to whom it has been leased by Amiri, for use on commercial flights. The first RJ purchased by Amiri is currently being converted into a luxurious VIP configuration.

Air Malta still has four other RJs (three RJ70s and one RJ85); all of them are on lease to three different European operators. Air Malta currently has two aircraft leased to Club Air of Verona, which specialises in flights to East Europe; the other two are leased to Euromanx Airways and Transwede Airways, and is operated on SAS flights between Stockholm and London.