Antonov Airlines has moved compressors and equipment from London Stansted Airport for an oilrig in the Far East.

It used an Antonov AN-124-100 to carry the three compressors weighing 22 tonnes each destined for the Far East, which flew from Stansted to Paris Vatry Airport to pick up other equipment, before a number of stops on its way to Incheon in South Korea.

Journalists were invited to have a look around the aircraft prior to loading and meet members of the Antonov Airlines team at its Diamond Hangar operational hub and learn about the aircraft, which was built in Kiev in 1990.

They were given a tour of the aircraft, including the cockpit by chief pilot, Dmitry Antonov, who despite the name, is not related to Oleg Antonov, first chief of the company.

Antonov Airlines’ fleet includes seven AN-124s, the AN-22 and the AN-225.

The AN-124 has a capacity of up to 150 tonnes and has been used for 6,461 flights since 2004, carrying 373,000 tonnes.