Originally Posted by
Microwave
The MRTT is capable of filling the aerial refuelling role without having the main deck cabin reconfigured. In addition, the RAF have built in a "surge capacity" to their private deal, which allows some airframes to be available if needed but otherwise released for use in the civil market.
PS: Welcome to FlyerTalk.
The surge jets are leased to the likes of Thomas Cook (well, one is, don't think the rest have been delivered yet), so I can't see those ones being used. For one, they're painted in the charter company colours (David Cameron turning up in a Thomas Cook jet??). I'd have thought it unlikely that there's a stipulation in the contract that says the plane could be taken back at short notice if the PM needs to go and see his buddy in Washington.
There's a civil registered A330 used for the Falklands air bridge and other trooping flights which is painted in RAF colours, so I guess that could be the one in question. Although something would then need to fill in for that when it's away for days at a time at a summit - oh look, we're leasing someone else's planes again :-)
Thanks for the welcome!