Maastricht Airlines

Maastricht Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
W2 - -
Founded2012
Ceased operations2013
HubsMaastricht Aachen Airport
Fleet size2
Destinations4
Key peopleHamid Kerboua
WebsiteMaastricht-Airlines.com

Maastricht Airlines was a Dutch airline which had announced plans to start operating routes from Maastricht Aachen Airport using two Fokker 50 aircraft leased from the Italian cargo airline MiniLiner.[1] The aircraft were to receive registrations PH-KVA and PH-KVB, since both aircraft once belonged to KLM Cityhopper. It was planned to extend the fleet to six aircraft. The airline was backed by the Municipality of Maastricht and the Province of Limburg.[2]

Operations were scheduled to begin on 25 March 2013, but were postponed when late delivery of the first aircraft delayed granting of its air operator's certificate.[2] This date was later pushed back to 1 May citing problems with the delivery of their aircraft. On the 16 April 2013 the airline announced that further delays in the delivery of the aircraft had postponed the start of their operations once again.[3] On the 29 May the airline filed for bankruptcy, and on 4 June 2013 the court in Maastricht declared the bankruptcy.[4]

In early July, the staff of Maastricht Airlines started crowdfunding campaign in order to save the airline.[5] This was not successful, however.

  1. ^ Fokker Technologies - 51 Fokker aircraft placed in 2012, article retrieved 18 February 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Maastricht Delays Launch", Airliner World, p. 6, June 2013
  3. ^ De Morgen - Start Maastricht Airlines opnieuw uitgesteld (Dutch), article retrieved 16 April 2013.
  4. ^ Maastricht Airlines failliet verklaard, Nu.nl, 4 June 2013
  5. ^ "Maastricht Airlines resorts to crowdfunding initiative to get airborne".