Varig's Musketeers: PP-VPZ

Hello, My Friends! Today we're gonna be hyperfixating on an innocent Boeing 737-3S3.

PP-VPZ was delivered to VARIG in September of 1998. As one of VARIG's many attempts to try and contain other airlines from taking over the aviation market in Brazil, VPZ came with the airline's dazzling new navy blue livery (Which.. arguably looks less iconic than the livery that came before it, to be honest) and waited no time to start operating for the largest brazilian carrier.

In 2002, it was fitted with the airline's 75 Year Anniversary livery, which only lasted for two years before the airline switched it for a New Years livery commemorating the arrival of 2004. This New Years livery was also applied to PP-VPX, albeit with a slightly different style.
Unfortunately, VARIG wasn't in the best shape; GOL Linhas Aéreas had joined the scene with their new 737NG aircraft, and TAM Linhas Aéreas tackled the regional and international market with the Fokker 100, Airbus A320 and finally the A330. VARIG's older 737 Classic aircraft, along with the rest of their fleet, were just too antique to keep up with the ever-changing aviation industry in Brazil.


PP-VPZ's last register on JetPhotos.net, Around May of 2006. Nik French,

In 2006, VARIG's entire management fell apart due to years of bad financial decisions and overall terrible mismanagement. On the 19th of October, 2008, VARIG officially ceased to exist as an airline. But where was PP-VPZ?

In the end, it was transferred to Sojitz Aircraft Leasing of the Netherlands, it's original lessor, and then acquired by Norwegian Air Shuttle from - you guessed it - Norway, where it was re-registered as LN-KKY. It would operate for the norwegian airline until 2011, when Transaero picked up the old 737-300 as EI-ERP. Upon Transaero's disintegration in 2015, it was AGAIN acquired, this time by DART Airlines of Ukraine as UR-CPQ. It would only operate for around half a year before being transferred to Khors Aircompany of the same country and with the same registration. Now, a really confusing change happens.

Less than half a year later, UR-CPQ would be transferred to ATA Airlines. Not the shiny american one, but rather it's iranian counterpart with the same ukrainian registration. In 2018, the defeated PP-VPZ would be turned over to Varesh Airlines of the same country in July.
We've reached the end of this brazilian 737's story. Who knows, maybe it's carrying tons of war criminals in Iran just about now! Who says we can't have a creative mind, correct?

By Marx. Really tried to go for a less polite way of speech here, i hope you all enjoy it!