Air Lituanica

Air Lituanica was a Lithuanian scheduled passenger airline headquartered in Vilnius and based at Vilnius Airport. It was registered in 2012, established as an operating airline in May 2013, and began commercial flights on 30 June 2013. The carrier was created in the context of efforts to restore and expand scheduled air links from the Lithuanian capital after the disappearance of earlier Lithuanian airlines. Its launch was also accelerated by Lithuania's forthcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2013, which increased the perceived importance of direct links between Vilnius and other European capitals. The airline was owned by Air Vilnius Group, which was in turn owned by Šiaurės miestelis, a company registered as a subsidiary of the Vilnius City Municipality. Air Vilnius Group initially invested LTL 0.5 million, while the broader establishment plan envisaged raising LTL 43.5 million from investors. The carrier's name referred to Lituanica, the aircraft flown by Lithuanian-American pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas during their 1933 transatlantic flight. That reference gave the airline a distinctly Lithuanian aviation identity, linking a contemporary commercial carrier with a prominent national aviation story. Air Lituanica's initial scheduled service connected Vilnius with Brussels. It received its air operator's certificate on 26 June 2013 and began flying four days later with a leased Embraer E-170 obtained through Estonian Air. Ticket sales began earlier that month through Estonian Air's booking channels. A leased Embraer E-175 entered the fleet in July 2013 through ECC Leasing Company, an Embraer subsidiary. During its first months, the airline expanded to Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague and Munich, and later announced seasonal services to Gothenburg and Malmö as well as the planned resumption of Amsterdam flights. The carrier's development was disrupted by commercial and operational difficulties. In November 2013, Estonian Air terminated the E-170 leasing agreement after both parties made allegations concerning missed payments. The loss of that aircraft forced Air Lituanica to discontinue the Amsterdam and Berlin services that had used it; Amsterdam service ended on 27 November 2013. By February 2015, the fleet consisted of one Embraer E-175. Air Lituanica ultimately ceased flight operations on 22 May 2015 and filed for bankruptcy on 8 June 2015. It therefore remained a short-lived regional airline rather than developing into a durable national carrier or broader aviation group.

Air Lituanica was registered in late May 2012 as part of a project to create a new Lithuanian airline based in Vilnius. Its corporate ownership was structured through Air Vilnius Group, whose owner, Šiaurės miestelis, had been registered on 21 May 2012 as a subsidiary of the Vilnius City Municipality. Air Vilnius Group made an initial investment of LTL 0.5 million, while the proposed financing plan called for LTL 43.5 million to be raised from additional investors. The project sought to improve Vilnius's direct air connectivity and restore a Lithuanian scheduled carrier after the earlier collapse of FlyLAL-Lithuanian Airlines and Star1 Airlines. The airline was named after Lituanica, the aircraft associated with Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas, Lithuanian pioneer aviators who attempted a transatlantic flight in 1933. The name provided a strong national reference and distinguished the new carrier from generic regional airline brands. Air Lituanica was formally established in May 2013. The launch timetable was partly brought forward by Lithuania's presidency of the Council of the European Union, scheduled from 1 July through 31 December 2013, when improved links from Vilnius were considered particularly valuable. Before receiving its operating certificate, the company had already announced Brussels as its first destination and had recruited 27 employees. It began selling tickets in early June 2013 through Estonian Air's booking channels. On 26 June, it obtained its air operator's certificate. Four days later, on 30 June, it opened the Vilnius–Brussels route with a leased Embraer E-170 supplied through Estonian Air. This made Air Lituanica the first Lithuanian scheduled airline to operate after FlyLAL-Lithuanian Airlines and Star1 Airlines had ceased operations in 2009 and 2010 respectively. The carrier expanded quickly during its first operating season. A leased 86-seat Embraer E-175 from ECC Leasing Company, an Embraer subsidiary, entered the fleet in July 2013, although its delivery was delayed by two months. Air Lituanica opened its Vilnius–Amsterdam route on 8 July and added Berlin Tegel on 5 August, Prague on 20 September and Munich on 21 September. With its first two routes, it represented approximately 2 percent of Lithuania's international airline capacity and ranked ninth in available seats to and from Lithuania in July 2013. The expansion was not sustained. In November 2013, Estonian Air terminated the lease of the E-170 after both parties alleged that payments had been missed. Because Amsterdam and Berlin were operated with that aircraft, Air Lituanica ended those services, with Amsterdam flights stopping on 27 November. In April 2014, the airline announced planned seasonal flights to Gothenburg and Malmö in Sweden between June and August and said it intended to resume Amsterdam service. By February 2015, however, the fleet had contracted to a single Embraer E-175. Air Lituanica ceased all flight operations on 22 May 2015 and filed for bankruptcy on 8 June. Its brief existence illustrates the difficulty of sustaining a small national carrier in a limited home market while depending on leased aircraft, external booking arrangements and a rapidly changing route network. The brand did not continue as an operating airline or develop into a larger aviation group.

• 2015

  Flight operations end

  [1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  The airline ceased flight operations on 22 May.

• 2015

  Bankruptcy filing

  [1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  Air Lituanica filed for bankruptcy on 8 June.

• 2013

  Airline established and Brussels selected as first destination

  [1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  Air Lituanica was established in May and announced Brussels as its initial destination while preparing for certification and launch.

• 2013

  Air operator's certificate granted

  [1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  The carrier received its air operator's certificate on 26 June.

• 2013

  Commercial operations begin

  [1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  Air Lituanica began scheduled Vilnius–Brussels flights on 30 June with a leased Embraer E-170.

• 2013

  European route expansion

  [1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  The airline added Amsterdam, Berlin Tegel, Prague and Munich to its network during 2013.

• 2013

  E-170 lease terminated

  [1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  Estonian Air ended the E-170 leasing agreement in November, forcing Air Lituanica to stop the Amsterdam and Berlin services operated with that aircraft.

• 2012

  Air Lituanica is registered

  [1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  The company was registered in late May as part of a plan to establish a new Vilnius-based Lithuanian airline.

A Vilnius-based Lithuanian regional airline intended to restore direct European air links and provide scheduled international passenger service.

• Passenger airline · 2013

  Scheduled European passenger services

  Air Lituanica's principal offering was scheduled international passenger transportation from Vilnius Airport to European destinations. The network included Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin Tegel, Prague and Munich, with later plans for seasonal services to Gothenburg and Malmö and a proposed Amsterdam resumption. Services were operated with leased Embraer regional jets and ended when the airline stopped flying in May 2015.

• Aircraft-based service platform · 2013

  Embraer regional-jet operations

  The airline used leased Embraer aircraft rather than operating a large owned fleet. Its launch aircraft was an Embraer E-170 obtained through Estonian Air, while an 86-seat Embraer E-175 leased from ECC Leasing Company joined the fleet in 2013. By February 2015, the documented fleet consisted of one E-175.

• 2015

  Cessation of flight operations and bankruptcyOther

  Background

  After a short operating history and continuing business pressures, the airline could no longer continue its scheduled service.

  Action taken

  Air Lituanica stopped flying on 22 May and filed for bankruptcy on 8 June.

  Aftermath

  The brand exited the airline market and no longer operated passenger flights.

  Source

• 2014

  Planned Swedish seasonal services and Amsterdam resumptionProduct launch

  Background

  The airline sought to adjust its network after the loss of the E-170 and the resulting route cancellations.

  Action taken

  Air Lituanica announced seasonal flights to Gothenburg and Malmö and plans to resume Amsterdam service.

  Aftermath

  The announcements did not lead to a lasting expansion of the airline, which ceased operations in 2015.

  Source

• 2013

  Launch of Vilnius–Brussels scheduled serviceProduct launch

  Background

  The new airline was created to strengthen direct air links from Vilnius, with its launch timed partly around Lithuania's presidency of the Council of the European Union.

  Action taken

  After receiving its air operator's certificate on 26 June, Air Lituanica began flying to Brussels on 30 June with a leased Embraer E-170.

  Aftermath

  The Brussels route became the carrier's first commercial service and was followed by further European route additions.

  Source

• 2013

  Rapid expansion of the European route networkStrategy

  Background

  Following its launch, Air Lituanica sought to establish a broader regional network from Vilnius.

  Action taken

  It added Amsterdam, Berlin Tegel, Prague and Munich during 2013 and used leased Embraer aircraft to support the expansion.

  Aftermath

  The strategy was weakened when the E-170 lease was terminated in November, leading to the cancellation of Amsterdam and Berlin services.

  Source

• 2013

  End of the Estonian Air E-170 leaseOther

  Background

  Estonian Air and Air Lituanica made allegations that payments had been missed under the aircraft leasing arrangement.

  Action taken

  Estonian Air unilaterally terminated the E-170 lease in November.

  Aftermath

  Air Lituanica ended Amsterdam service on 27 November and also discontinued Berlin service because both routes used the aircraft.

  Source

• 2015

  Air Lituanica ceases flight operations[1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · Other

  Air Lituanica stopped operating flights on 22 May 2015 after a brief period of scheduled European service.

• 2015

  Air Lituanica files for bankruptcy[1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  The airline filed for bankruptcy on 8 June 2015, following the cessation of flight operations.

• 2014

  Air Lituanica announces Swedish seasonal routes and Amsterdam plans[1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The airline announced seasonal flights to Gothenburg and Malmö for the summer period and said it would resume service to Amsterdam.

• 2013

  Air Lituanica receives its air operator's certificate and begins flights[1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The airline received its air operator's certificate on 26 June 2013 and launched scheduled service from Vilnius to Brussels on 30 June using a leased Embraer E-170.

• 2013

  Air Lituanica expands its European route network[1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  After opening its Brussels route, the carrier added Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague and Munich during the summer and early autumn of 2013.

• 2013

  Estonian Air terminates the Embraer E-170 lease[1]Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Estonian Air unilaterally ended the lease agreement for Air Lituanica's E-170 after both sides made allegations involving missed payments. The aircraft's withdrawal led to the cancellation of services to Amsterdam and Berlin.

1. 1Air Lituanicaen.wikipedia.org