FleetWatch

Airline Suspending Operations: Dagestan Airlines is grounded

Fleetwatch Administrator — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:52:54 GMT

The only air carrier in the Russian Republic of Dagestan, operating domestic and international schedules as well as charters, primarily with a fleet of Tupolev Tu-154Ms, had its AOC suspended by Rosaviatsia on 15 December 2011. The carrier had also been operating under a second brand, South East Airlines, since January 2010. The airline had been under increased scrutiny over the last year, following the crash landing of a South East Airlines branded Tu-154M at Moscow Domodedovo on 4 December 2010. In January 2011, the Federal Government was reported to be moving to take over the airline's operations from Makhachkala Airport. This was followed in May 2011 by the announcement by the Transport Prosecutor of Dagestan of a planned action against the airline for disposing of its assets, either illegally or at well below market value.

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Airline Suspending Operations: Prima ceases flying

Fleetwatch Administrator — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:52:07 GMT

The troubled Venice-based domestic and regional carrier has finally ceased operating. Established in 2010 as a successor to Alpi Eagles Airlines, and known as "Eagles" to reflect its origins, the carrier had been forced to announce a rebranding as Prima Aero Trasporti Italiani on 27 May 2011, after being threatened by its predecessor's creditors. Prima operated up to three Fokker 100s. Much like its predecessor, Prima was quickly beset with financial difficulties. There were complaints of too many cancelled flights and tardy or missed refunds during the last summer season. The carrier finally suspended operations earlier this week.

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Airlines Suspending Operations: Comtel Air fails

Fleetwatch Administrator — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:38:17 GMT

The operations of the start-up Austrian carrier, which launched passenger services in October 2011 lasted less than two months. The airline linked Birmingham with Amritsar via Vienna using wet-leased Boeing 757s. Founded in 1989, Comtel initially operated a Falcon 2000 on executive charter flights. Passenger services from Birmingham to Vienna were launched in October 2011 but were abandoned on 17 November 2011, two days after the much publicised incident in which 180 passengers on a Comtel Air flight returning from Amritsar to Birmingham were asked to find £23,000 towards the fuel bill for the Vienna-Birmingham sector. The failure was actually the second in less than three years for Comtel Air, which briefly operated the same route from April 2009, again using wet-leased Boeing 757s, under the Air Sylhet brand.

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Airline Suspending Operations: Lufthansa Italia closes

Fleetwatch Administrator — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:59:53 GMT

Lufthansa's Italian subsidiary, which was established in November 2008 to exploit opportunities created by the new CAI-owned Alitalia's cutbacks in Northern Italy, passed into history on 29 October 2011. The German flag carrier announced the planned closure of its Milan-based subsidiary in May 2011, citing commercial reasons. The Italian-based fleet of Airbus A319s has been reintegrated with that of the parent carrier and Lufthansa and Air Dolomiti have now taken over many former Lufthansa Italia routes.

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Airline Suspending Operations: Albanian's AOC is revoked

Fleetwatch Administrator — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:51:08 GMT

The privately-owned Albanian company became the country’s first airline and national carrier in May 1992, when established through a joint venture between Albtransport, the state-owned road transport company and Tyrolean Airways. The company lay dormant for over a year after Tyrolean withdrew in August 1994, but was relaunched, initially under Kuwaiti private ownership, in October 2005. Albanian seems to have been taken completely by surprise on 10 November 2011 when the Albanian Civil Aviation Authority revoked its AOC. The carrier has publicly questioned the motives behind the ACAA decision, which came just four months after it had granted the carrier a new 15-month AOC. Albanian has stated that it will contest the ACAA’s action and work to have its AOC restored.

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Airlines Suspending Operations: Zambezi Airlines is grounded

Fleetwatch Administrator — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:29:55 GMT

The Zambian carrier had launched low-cost regional services from Lusaka in July 2008 using an Embraer E-120 Brasilia, introducing jet service with two Boeing 737-500s in June 2009. Zambezi was grounded indefinitely by the Zambian Ministry of Transport on 29 October 2011, and officially suspended operations on 1 November 2011. Reports earlier today suggest that the government may consider allowing the airline to resume flying, provided that it implements certain administrative and maintenance reforms and is successfully re-evaluated in the next eight weeks.

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Airlines Suspending Operations: Dubrovnik Airline closes

Fleetwatch Administrator — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:10:34 GMT

The Croatian charter and ACMI leasing specialist suspended operations when its one remaining McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (reg 9A-CDA, serial 49602) was grounded on 23 October 2011. The carrier's other aircraft MD-82 (reg 9A-CDE serial 48066) is thought to have been parked since the end of September 2011. Local press reports indicate that the carrier is filing for bankruptcy. Dubrovnik Airline was founded in December 2004 by minority shareholder Captain Zeno Singer, backed by majority shareholder, the Croatian shipping company, Atlantska Plovidba. The airline fell into financial difficulties from 2009 onwards and early in 2011, Atlantska Plovidba is reported to have transferred its entire interest in the carrier to Singer for a nominal sum, resulting in a major scale back of operations and many job losses.

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Airlines Suspending Operations: Avianova ceases operations

Fleetwatch Administrator — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:52:47 GMT

The Russian low cost carrier which was a joint venture between majority shareholder, Russian investment firm Alfa-1 and US investment fund Indigo Partners, ceased operations at one minute past midnight on 10 October 2011, after Indigo Partners announced that it was freezing all funding for the carrier. The dispute between the two factions came to a head in June 2011, when Avianova's English expatriate Chief Executive and several senior managers were forcibly removed from, and thereafter denied access to the airline's Moscow offices, as the Russian majority owners put their 2% shareholding advantage to good effect. The airline had stopped selling tickets on 3 October 2011 and operated its last flight on 9 October 2011. The carrier's six Airbus A320 aircraft are to be returned to their lessors; Aviation Capital Group (3 aircraft), ILFC (2) and RBS Aviation Capital (1). The airline's stand-in general manager has denied reports that Avianova is to start bankruptcy proceedings although there are clearly no prospects of it resuming services with new aircraft in the foreseeable future.

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Airline Suspending Operations: KMV closes as license is revoked

Fleetwatch Administrator — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:19:24 GMT

Rosaviatsiya, the Russian civil aviation authority revoked the operating license of Kavminvodyavia, better known as KMV, on 1 October 2011, citing the airline's failure to address concerns raised in August 2011 around the carrier's financial and economic status. KMV was the largest airline in southern Russia, operating a fleet of seven Tupolev Tu-154Ms and two Tu-204-120s from the city of Mineralnye Vody (which translates as Mineral Water!). Under plans announced in 2010, KMV had been expected to be merged, along with five other carriers owned by Rostekhnologii, the huge state owned technology holding company, into flag-carrier Aeroflot-Russian Airlines in 2010 or 2011.

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Airline Suspending Operations: Air Southwest passes into history

Fleetwatch Administrator — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:37:45 GMT

The Plymouth based low cost carrier, which had launched services by taking over the former British Airways routes from Plymouth and Newquay to London Gatwick in October 2003, compeleted its planned closedown on 30 September 2011. The carrier's last three Bombardier DHC-8-300 turboprops were transferred to new owner, Humberside based Eastern Airways, which had acquired the airline on 1 December 2010.

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Airlines Suspending Operations: Continent's licence is revoked

Fleetwatch Administrator — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 05:15:00 GMT

Russia's Federal Agency for Air Transportation (Rosaviatsia) revoked the license of Moscow Vnukovo based Air Company Continent on 29 July 2011. Rosaviatsia acted after the carrier found itself on the brink of bankruptcy, apparently due to a multi-million-rouble debt, created when its Director-General purchased several new aircraft, without the approval of the primary shareholder. The company, which operated a fleet of Tupolev Tu-154M passenger jets and Ilyushin IL-76TD freighters, operated its last flights on 30 July 2011. Continent had implemented a major expansion plan in 2011, to operate domestic schedules to 30 cities.

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Airlines Suspending Operations: Bimini Island Air's AOC is revoked

Fleetwatch Administrator — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:18:33 GMT

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has revoked the Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) of Fort Lauderdale-based Bimini Island Air. The airline, which was licensed only as a Part 135 (nine seats or less) on-demand charter operator, was found to have advertised and operated fifteen scheduled flights between Fort Lauderdale and the Bahamas during March and April 2011, using its 30-seat Saab 340A. The carrier surrendered its operating certificate on 1 July 2011.

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Airline Suspending Operations: Air Southwest to close, pass fleet to Eastern Airways

Fleetwatch Administrator — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:27:08 GMT

UK regional carrier Air Southwest, which operates from Plymouth and Newquay, is to close on 30 September 2011. In April 2011, the airline's former owner, Sutton Harbour Holdings, which also leases and runs Plymouth airport, announced the airport's closure at the end of 2011. The airport, which opened in 1925 and is one of Britain's oldest, is expected to be redeveloped for housing. Air Southwest had planned to operate from Plymouth right up until the closure, but the fall off in forward bookings since April is such that operations are being wound up three months earlier than originally planned. The airline has already considered and ruled out continuing to operate only from Newquay Airport, where it is currently the primary operator. On completion of September's flight schedule, the Air Southwest brand will disappear and the carrier's three, leased DHC8-300s will be transferred to Humberside based parent, Eastern Airways, becoming their first examples of the type. Eastern acquired Air Southwest from Sutton Harbour Holdings in November 2010.

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Airline Suspending Operations: NOAR grounded by ANAC

Fleetwatch Administrator — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:19:16 GMT

Following the loss of a NOAR Linhas Aereas LET L-410, and all onboard, in a crash near Recife on 13 July 2011, the Brazilian civil aviation authority (ANAC) indefinitely suspended the airline's AOC on 18 July 2011, citing irregularities in the airline's aircraft and maintenance documentation. The privately-owned regional carrier had served domestic routes in north-eastern Brazil from its Recife base since launching services in July 2010, operating the first of two 19-seat LET L-410UVP-E20 turboprops.

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Airline Suspending Operations: Hewa Bora Airways grounded again

Fleetwatch Administrator — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:17:45 GMT

Following a third accident in as many years involving the airline on, 21 June 2011, the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ministry of Transport has suspended the Air Operators Certificate (AOC) of Hewa Bora Airways.

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Airlines Suspending Operations: Gabon Airlines

Fleetwatch Administrator — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:51:45 GMT

Flag carrier Gabon Airlines is reported to be one of six Gabonese carriers whose operations were suspended by Gabon's transport ministry (Agence Nationale de l'Aviation Civile, ANAC) last week, after eight carriers were put under review, following a non-fatal incident on 6 June 2011. The incident involved an Antonov An-26 cargo aircraft, operated by Solenta Aviation Gabon for DHL, which ditched into the sea off the capital, Libreville. The individual airlines affected by the suspension were not identified in the transport ministry's statement, which urged airlines to “conform to the norms and recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation”. The government also banned all Antonov An-12, An-24 and An-26 aircraft from operation within Gabon. This isn't the first time that Gabonese government has taken dramatic steps aimed at improving the country's air safety standards. In 2008, the EU stopped short of a full ban on all Gabonese carriers in recognition of the government's “prompt and drastic” efforts to address the situation. In the event, all Gabonese carriers, with the exception of Gabon Airlines and business jet operator Afrijet were prohibited from conducting services to the EU. There is no indication, as yet, as to what the suspended carriers will need to do to have their suspensions lifted, or how long the process might take.

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Airlines Suspending operations: Ecuadorian CAA suspends Air Cuenca

Fleetwatch Administrator — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 10:52:14 GMT

The Ecuadorian domestic airline, which launched services linking Cuenca with Guayaquil and Quito in August 2010, had its operations suspended by the country's civil aviation authority; Direccion de Aeronautica Civil (DAC) on 21 June 2010. Reports suggest that DAC had safety concerns after technical problems were identified with the carrier's only aircraft, a leased Boeing 737-500 (reg HC-CJB, serial 26287). It doesn't look good for the carrier, which, the week after the suspension, was ordered to leave Cuenca's Mariscal Lamar airport over a debt of $200,000 in rent and taxes owed to the airport authority. Earlier this week (2 July 2011) Triton Aviation International, owner of the 737, repossessed the aircraft and ferried it back to Miami.

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Airlines Suspending Operations: Mat Airways ceases flying

Fleetwatch Administrator — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 10:51:13 GMT

The Macedonian carrier suspended operations until further notice on 20 June 2011, having fallen into financial difficulties. Mat Airways' only aircraft is an owned Boeing 737-500 (reg Z3-AAM, serial 25249). Airline officials told local reporters earlier this week that the suspension was only temporary. Establsihed in 2009 as a successor to MAT Macedonian Airlines, the company is a joint venture between leading Serbian tour operator Kon Tiki Travel, the Belgrade-based Metropolitan Investment Group and Skopje-based Gomeks Financing. Regular charter services for Kon Tiki Travel were launched from Skopje and Belgrade in August 2010. It is understood that Kon Tiki has been experiencing its own financial problems and wants to concentrate on its Serbian-based operations. In April 2011, it was reported that Skywings Group, owner of the other Macedonian airline, Air Lift Service, (also known as Airlift Airlines) was acquiring 50% of MAT Airways and that the two carriers were to be merged. The status of this transaction at the time of the suspension of services is unclear.

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Airlines Suspending Operations: Top Fly ceases flying

Fleetwatch Administrator — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:35:21 GMT

The Spanish carrier that offered charter flights, helicopter air-taxi services, aerial work and flight training courses, together with scheduled passenger flights from the Canary Islands to destinations in Morocco and Mauritania, ceased operations on 5 June 2011 and is to be liquidated. The commercial fixed-wing fleet at the time of closure comprised one ATR42-320 (reg EC-IDG, serial 003) which had been leased out to another Barcelona-based and possibly related airline, Let's Fly, and one Fairchild Metro III (reg EC-GJM, serial BC-772B).

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Airlines Suspending Operations: Deccan 360 is grounded

Fleetwatch Administrator — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:32:04 GMT

Indian integrated logistics airline Deccan 360 suspended all services at the end of April 2011, after less than 15 months of operations. The carrier had projected revenues of over $73 million in the 12 months to July 2010, but instead suffered losses of $44 million on revenues of just $9 million. Reports from India suggest that the airline has been grounded by the Indian DGCA this month, due to its inability to meet its debts. The Mauritius based lessor, Veling, has repossesed the three leased Airbus A310-300F freighters that were the mainstay of the fleet. Deccan 360 also had two, owned, ATR72-200(F)s on its AOC, and it had been planning to wet-lease additional aircraft.

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