VLM Airlines (2017)

The title of this article is ambiguous. The article about the Belgian regional airline of the same name founded in 1992 can be found under VLM Airlines .

VLM Airlines (Brussels)
IATA code :	HQ
ICAO code :	TCW
Call sign :	PHOENIX
Founding:	2017
Operation stopped:	2018
Seat:	Zaventem , Belgium
Home airport :	Brussels-Zaventem
Management:	Harm Jan Prins ( CEO )
Fleet size:	1
Aims:	National and international
VLM Airlines (Brussels) ceased operations in 2018. The information in italics refer to the last status before the end of operation.

VLM Airlines (Brussels) was a Belgian charter airline based in Zaventem and based at Brussels-Zaventem Airport . It was founded in November 2017 as a sister company of the regional airline VLM Airlines .

history

The Dutch holding company SHS Aviation BV , which bought the Antwerp- based regional airline VLM Airlines at the end of 2016 , acquired two Airbus A320s and the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium at the beginning of November 2017 . The AOC and the aircraft were used to set up the independent, Brussels- based airline VLM Airlines (Brussels), which was active in the leasing business and offered ACMI rentals .

In February 2018 SHS Aviation BV sold VLM Airlines (Brussels) to the Dutch SF Aviation Holding BV . An Airbus A320 was returned to Thomas Cook in spring 2018 and the remaining Airbus A320 was operated for Condor in summer 2018 , before being transferred to Thomas Cook Airlines Balearics at the end of October 2018 . On July 16, 2018, VLM Airlines (Brussels) expanded its fleet with an Airbus A321 from the British Monarch Airlines fleet .

In October 2018 it became known that the parent company of VLM Airlines (Brussels) was interested in taking over the insolvent Small Planet Airlines Germany . However, the negotiations did not lead to any result until October 31, 2018 and Small Planet Airlines Germany ceased flight operations. On November 9, 2018 it was announced that SF Aviation Holding wanted to take over Small Planet Airlines Germany after all. A preliminary agreement was signed which, however, does not trigger a purchase obligation. The reactivation of flight operations should take place in the next six months, otherwise the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Small Planet Airlines Germany would expire. At the end of November 2018, it became known that the sale to SF Aviation Holding had failed.

In December 2018, the leasing company AerCap took back VLM Airlines' only machine, an Airbus A321-200. Managing Director Harm Prins stated that the return would take place in agreement with the lessor and that the machine could be reactivated if necessary. At that time, VLM Airlines (Brussels) was aiming to deploy two Airbus A330s in the 2019 summer season. On December 18, 2018, VLM Airlines (Brussels) filed for bankruptcy and announced that the revenues from summer 2018 would not be sufficient to bridge the weaker winter season.

fleet

As of December 2018, the VLM Airlines fleet consisted of a 12.7 year old Airbus A321:

Aircraft type	number	ordered	Remarks	Seats
Airbus A321-200	1	-	inactive and parked at Montpellier airport ; temporarily returned to the leasing company at the time	220
total	1	-

See also

• Former Airlines List (Europe)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} VLM Airlines Fleet Details and History. In: planespotters.net. October 31, 2018, accessed November 1, 2018 . 
2. ↑ Ch-Aviation, Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium ceases all operations, October 30, 2017 (in English), accessed October 30, 2018
3. ↑ Ch-Aviation, VLM Airlines (Brussels) scouting for A320s, March 6, 2018 (in English), accessed on October 30, 2018
4. ↑ VLM Airlines Brussels was sold. In: austrianaviation.net. February 21, 2018, accessed October 30, 2018 . 
5. ↑ VLM Airlines NV (Brussels) is not in liquidation. In: aviation24.be. September 3, 2018, accessed October 30, 2018 . 
6. ↑ Ch-Aviation, Belgium's VLM Airlines adds maiden A321, July 16, 2018 (in English), accessed October 30, 2018
7. ↑ LBA sets Small Planet deadline until Sunday . In: airliners.de . ( airliners.de [accessed November 1, 2018]).
8. ↑ Jan Gruber: Small Planet Germany restart is unlikely. In: austrianaviation.net. November 26, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018 . 
9. ↑ Small Planet Germany goes to VLM. In: aerotelegraph.com. November 9, 2018, accessed November 11, 2018 . 
10. ↑ Jan Gruber: Administrator confirms Small-Planet-Germany-Aus. In: austrianaviation.net. November 28, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018 . 
11. ^ VLM Airlines (Brussels) grounds only aircraft at Montpellier. In: ch-aviation. ch-aviation GmbH, December 14, 2018, accessed on December 16, 2018 (English). 
12. ↑ Stefan Eiselin: VLM Airlines Brussels also broke. In: aeroTELEGRAPH. December 18, 2018, accessed December 19, 2018 . 
13. ↑ ch-aviation : Airline Information - VLM Airlines (Brussels) , accessed on December 16, 2018.