AIS Airlines

AIS Airlines is a Dutch regional airline headquartered at Lelystad Airport in Flevoland. The company developed from a flight-school operation into an airline and aviation-services group, later obtaining a Dutch Air Operator Certificate and expanding into wet-lease, charter and scheduled regional flying. Its operating model has centered on small turboprop aircraft, especially the British Aerospace Jetstream 31 and Jetstream 32, rather than large narrow-body or long-haul aircraft. The airline acquired two Jetstream 32 aircraft before receiving its Air Operator Certificate in 2012. It subsequently operated aircraft and routes for other carriers and aviation partners, including Manx2, Airlink, Krohn Air and Direktflyg. This wet-lease model allowed AIS Airlines to provide aircraft, crews and operational expertise for regional services without relying exclusively on routes marketed under its own name. The company also launched flights under its own commercial responsibility, initially linking Münster/Osnabrück with Stuttgart and later serving selected German and Swedish regional markets. AIS Airlines expanded its scheduled activity during the middle of the 2010s. Its German network included Münster/Osnabrück–Stuttgart and services associated with Bremen, Zurich and other proposed destinations. In Sweden, the airline took over or operated several regional and public-service routes previously connected with Direktflyg, including links involving Borlänge, Gothenburg, Örebro, Malmö, Sveg, Mora, Stockholm Arlanda, Torsby, Hagfors, Östersund, Umeå and Luleå. The Swedish business became an important part of the brand’s regional-airline identity, although several routes were later cancelled or lost through competitive tendering. The company also operated in Croatia from 2016 under an arrangement with Trade Air, stationing a Jetstream 32 at Osijek for domestic services to Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, Dubrovnik and Pula. That contract ended in 2018 and was awarded elsewhere. AIS Airlines later worked with Groningen Airport Eelde on flights to Copenhagen, connecting that activity with its existing Münster network. The Groningen-linked Münster–Copenhagen service ended in February 2020, and the long-running Münster–Stuttgart route also ceased after the COVID-19 period. From 2018 onward, the airline’s fleet and route network contracted. Aircraft were progressively withdrawn or used for parts, some route initiatives were cancelled, and AIS Airlines and its partners lost Swedish public-service routes to competitors. By 2021, the company’s scheduled activity had become much narrower, including a Torsby–Hagfors–Stockholm service operated on behalf of Amapola Flyg. Amapola’s related routes later changed, while subsequent contracts in Denmark ended in September 2025. As of March 2026, the company is reported to operate a scheduled Wick–Aberdeen service on behalf of Air Scotland Charter under a Scottish public-service arrangement. AIS Airlines is part of a broader AIS Group that includes AIS Technics, AIS Flight Academy, AIS CAMO, AIS SIM Department and AIS Development. The flight academy provides integrated commercial-pilot training and type training for the Jetstream 31/32. The group has also developed a full-flight simulator for this aircraft family and has investigated electrifying a Jetstream 32 as a prototype. AIS Airlines therefore combines a small airline operation with training, maintenance, continuing-airworthiness, simulation and aviation-development activities. Its present scale is substantially smaller than its peak, when the airline reportedly operated up to eight aircraft and seven routes.

AIS Airlines originated as a Dutch flight school and later expanded into commercial airline operations. The company is based at Lelystad Airport and built its business around regional aviation, pilot training and technical support rather than large-scale network flying. Before receiving its Air Operator Certificate, it acquired two British Aerospace Jetstream 32 turboprops. The AOC was obtained in 2012, after which the airline began wet-lease operations for several regional aviation companies, including Manx2, Airlink, Krohn Air and Direktflyg. The first flights operated under AIS Airlines’ own commercial responsibility connected Münster/Osnabrück and Stuttgart. In 2014 the company announced or operated additional German services involving Bremen, Zurich and other regional destinations. Some plans, including Bremen links to Luxembourg, Malmö and Nuremberg, were cancelled, while Bremen–Zurich was later withdrawn. The Münster–Stuttgart route became the most persistent of the company’s German own-brand services until it eventually ended after the COVID-19 period. AIS Airlines expanded into Sweden in the mid-2010s. From January 2015 it operated several domestic services that had previously been associated with Direktflyg. These included routes from Borlänge to Gothenburg, Örebro and Malmö, as well as services linking Sveg, Mora, Torsby, Hagfors, Stockholm Arlanda, Östersund, Umeå and later Luleå. Four former Direktflyg aircraft were associated with the fleet. The airline’s own Borlänge operations were cancelled in 2018, and AIS Airlines and Direktflyg later lost Swedish public-service routes to Jonair. From 2016, AIS Airlines operated a Croatian domestic network on behalf of Trade Air with a Jetstream 32 based at Osijek. The network included Osijek–Zagreb and multi-stop services to Rijeka, Split, Dubrovnik and Pula. The contract ended in 2018 and was transferred in favor of Vanair. AIS Airlines then continued to rely more heavily on wet-lease, charter and contracted regional flying. In 2019 it cooperated with Groningen Airport Eelde on a Copenhagen service, connecting that operation with Münster. The Münster–Copenhagen route ended on 27 February 2020. The route network and fleet declined progressively from 2018. Aircraft were withdrawn, some were cannibalized for parts, and a Jetstream involved in a 2019 runway excursion did not return to airworthy service. By October 2021, the company’s reported scheduled flying had narrowed to a Torsby–Hagfors–Stockholm Arlanda service on behalf of Amapola Flyg. Amapola later lost the relevant routes in 2023. AIS Airlines also operated contracted routes in Denmark, but that cooperation ended in September 2025. The group surrounding the airline includes AIS Technics, AIS Flight Academy, AIS CAMO, AIS SIM Department and AIS Development. AIS Flight Academy provides integrated commercial-pilot training toward the ATPL(A) qualification and Jetstream 31/32 type training. The group has also operated a Jetstream full-flight simulator described as the only approved simulator worldwide for that aircraft type. AIS Development has investigated the electrification of a Jetstream 32, reflecting an attempt to apply emerging propulsion technology to a small regional aircraft. As of March 2026, AIS Airlines was reported to operate one scheduled service, between Wick and Aberdeen, on behalf of Air Scotland Charter under a Scottish public-service arrangement. The company’s history therefore shows a transition from flight school to small regional carrier, followed by a shift away from a broader own-brand network toward contracted flying, wet leases, training and aviation-support activities.

• 2026

  Wick–Aberdeen service reported

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  AIS Airlines is reported to operate the Wick–Aberdeen route for Air Scotland Charter under a Scottish public-service arrangement.

• 2025

  Danish cooperation ends

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  AIS Airlines’ cooperation on Danish routes ends in September.

• 2021

  Electric Jetstream development proceeds

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  AIS Development works on an electric Jetstream 32 prototype project.

• 2020

  Münster–Copenhagen route ends

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The Münster–Copenhagen service via Groningen is discontinued in February 2020.

• 2019

  Groningen–Copenhagen cooperation begins

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  AIS Airlines starts operating a Copenhagen service from Groningen Airport Eelde and links it operationally with its Münster network.

• 2018

  Croatian contract and Swedish expansion end

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The Trade Air contract ends, Borlänge flights are cancelled and AIS Airlines loses Swedish public-service routes to Jonair.

• 2016

  Croatian domestic operations begin

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  A Jetstream 32 based at Osijek operates domestic Croatian routes for Trade Air.

• 2015

  Swedish regional routes added

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  AIS Airlines takes on additional Swedish domestic routes formerly associated with Direktflyg.

• 2014

  German scheduled network expands

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The airline expands its own commercial operations in Germany, including services involving Münster/Osnabrück, Stuttgart, Bremen and Zurich.

• 2012

  Air Operator Certificate obtained

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  AIS Airlines receives its AOC and begins wet-lease operations for regional aviation partners.

• 2009

  AIS Airlines is established

  [1]AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The Dutch aviation business that became AIS Airlines is established and begins from a flight-school background.

Small-scale European regional aviation and aviation-services provider

• Air transport

  Regional scheduled passenger services

  AIS Airlines has operated short-haul scheduled services connecting regional airports in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Croatia, Denmark and the United Kingdom. Its route model has favored lower-density markets, public-service routes and links that are not typically attractive to large network airlines.

• Air transport services · 2012

  Wet-lease operations

  The airline provides aircraft and operating capability for partner carriers and aviation organizations. Its wet-lease history includes work associated with Manx2, Airlink, Krohn Air, Direktflyg and other regional operators.

• Air transport services

  Charter services

  AIS Airlines operates charter and other non-scheduled services across Europe, using small turboprop aircraft for specific customer, route or contract requirements.

• Regional aircraft operations

  British Aerospace Jetstream 31/32 operations

  The Jetstream 31 and Jetstream 32 form the central aircraft family associated with AIS Airlines. These twin-turboprop aircraft support short regional sectors, public-service routes, charter flights and wet-lease missions. The fleet has contracted considerably from its historical peak.

• Pilot training

  AIS Flight Academy

  AIS Flight Academy, based at Lelystad Airport, provides integrated commercial-pilot training toward the ATPL(A) qualification. It also offers type training for the Jetstream 31/32 aircraft family.

• Flight simulation and training

  Jetstream full-flight simulator

  The AIS Group operates a full-flight simulator for the Jetstream aircraft type and provides associated type-training capability. Public reference material describes it as the only approved simulator worldwide for that aircraft type.

• Aviation technology development · 2021

  Electric Jetstream development

  AIS Development has investigated converting a Jetstream 32 into an electric aircraft prototype. The project was presented as an experimental development effort rather than a commercial passenger product.

• 2021

  Electric Jetstream 32 development projectOther

  Background

  AIS Development explored whether a regional Jetstream airframe could serve as a platform for electric-flight development.

  Action taken

  The group began work on an electric Jetstream 32 prototype, with a project period described as extending from February 2021 to December 2023.

  Aftermath

  The commercial outcome and present technical status of the prototype are not established by the available reference material.

  Source

• 2019

  Groningen–Copenhagen route launchStrategy

  Background

  Groningen Airport Eelde sought to maintain a Copenhagen connection after the previous operator ceased flying the route.

  Action taken

  AIS Airlines began operating flights between Groningen and Copenhagen and connected the service with its Münster operation.

  Aftermath

  The Münster–Copenhagen service ended in February 2020.

  Source

• 2016

  Croatian contract flying for Trade AirStrategy

  Background

  Trade Air required regional aircraft and operating capacity for domestic Croatian services.

  Action taken

  AIS Airlines stationed a Jetstream 32 at Osijek and operated a network connecting Croatian cities.

  Aftermath

  The contract ended in 2018 and was replaced by an arrangement involving Vanair.

  Source

• 2015

  Expansion into Swedish regional and public-service routesStrategy

  Background

  AIS Airlines had experience operating for Direktflyg and pursued additional Swedish regional flying.

  Action taken

  The airline took on routes linking smaller Swedish communities with regional centers and Stockholm Arlanda.

  Aftermath

  The network later contracted, with own-brand Borlänge flights cancelled and public-service routes lost to Jonair.

  Source

• 2014

  Expansion of own-brand German routesStrategy

  Background

  After establishing wet-lease activity, AIS Airlines sought to operate selected regional routes under its own commercial responsibility.

  Action taken

  The airline expanded around Münster/Osnabrück and announced or operated services involving Stuttgart, Bremen and Zurich.

  Aftermath

  Several planned routes were cancelled, while Münster–Stuttgart remained the principal long-running German service until its later closure.

  Source

• 2012

  Shift from flight school into airline operationsStrategy

  Background

  AIS began from a flight-school background and acquired Jetstream aircraft before obtaining an Air Operator Certificate.

  Action taken

  The company entered commercial airline operations and used its aircraft for wet-lease and regional services.

  Aftermath

  This created the operating platform for later scheduled, charter and public-service flying.

  Source

1. 1AIS Airlinesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2AIS Airlines official websiteaisairlines.com