Orbest (Spain) (IP, Palma de Mallorca Son Sant Joan (PMI)) has transferred its two remaining A320-200s EC-KYZ (c/n 3758) and EC-LLX (c/n 4735) from the Spanish airline to its Portuguese sister carrier Orbest (Portugal) (4O, Lisbon Portela de Sacavem (LIS)). The wet-lease of A330-300 EC-LEQ (c/n 1097) with PAL Airlines (5P, Santiago de Chile Arturo Merino Benítez International (SCL)) has now ended leaving the Orizonia subsidiary without active aircraft. Orbest's fleet in Portugal now includes the two A320-200s and A330-300 CS-TRH (c/n 833) operating on a wet-lease contract for Conviasa (V0, Caracas Simón Bolívar International (CCS)).

Orbest (Spain) (IP, Palma de Mallorca Son Sant Joan (PMI)) has returned four of its six A320-200s to the lessors by the end of February and continues limited short-haul charter operations with its remaining two A320-200s. It has also terminated its own long-haul charter operations with A330-300 EC-JHP (c/n 670) on February 20 already. The carrier owned by financially ailing Spanish tour operator Orizonia however continues to operate its other A330-300 EC-LEQ (c/n 1097) on a wet-lease contract on behalf of PAL Airlines (5P, Santiago de Chile Arturo Merino Benítez International (SCL)) while Portuguese subsidiary Orbest (Portugal) (4O, Lisbon Portela de Sacavem (LIS)) also still operates its A330-300 CS-TRH (c/n 833) on behalf of Conviasa (V0, Caracas Simón Bolívar International (CCS)) between Madrid Barajas (MAD) and Caracas Simón Bolívar International (CCS).

Orbest (Spain) (IP, Palma de Mallorca Son Sant Joan (PMI)) and Orbest (Portugal) (4O, Lisbon Portela de Sacavem (LIS)) will at least continue charter and wet-lease operations until Sunday after Orizonia has been able to agree to a preliminary agreement with Grupo Barceló to sell part of the airline and 150 Vibo travel agencies. Barceló owns approximately 140 hotels and resorts in Spain and abroad and runs several hundred travel agencies already. Orbest has however cancelled all reservations sold directly to consumers for flights from February 20 onwards offering refunds.

Orbest (Spain) (IP, Palma de Mallorca Son Sant Joan (PMI)) has been severely affected by the bankruptcy protection filing of its parent, tour operator group Orizonia, one of the largest tour operators in Spain. Orizonia had agreed in December to sell its business to Globalia, another large Spanish travel group that also controls Air Europa (UX, Palma de Mallorca Son Sant Joan (PMI)). Spain's National Competition Commission had announced on February 13 that it would need more time to review the competitive impact of the acquisition. Globalia has said that it would still be committed to the acquisition if it receives approval from the commission. Orbest continues limited domestic operations with its A320-200s and long-haul flights with an A330-300 EC-JHP (c/n 670) as well as wet-lease operations with A330-300 CS-TRH (c/n 833) of Orbest (Portugal) (4O, Lisbon Portela de Sacavem (LIS)) on behalf of Conviasa (V0, Caracas Simón Bolívar International (CCS)) and A330-300 EC-LEQ (c/n 1097) on behalf of PAL Airlines (5P, Santiago de Chile Arturo Merino Benítez International (SCL)). It has however said that it could only guarantee operations until early next week.

Conviasa (V0, Caracas Simón Bolívar International (CCS)) has now replaced the B767-200 N766VA (MSN 24448) it had previously wet-lease from US carrier Vision Airlines (USA) (V2, Las Vegas McCarran International (LAS)) by Orbest (Portugal) (4O, Lisbon Portela de Sacavem (LIS)) A330-300 CS-TRH (c/n 833). The aircraft currently operates two weekly round-trips between Caracas and Madrid Barajas (MAD) on behalf of the Venezuelan national carrier that is still banned from operating its own aircraft into European Union airspace due to safety concerns. Conviasa continues to operate its single long-haul aircraft, A340-200 YV1004 (c/n 31), between Caracas and Buenos Aires Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini (EZE).